Living longer on the land : a health program that works : an economic evaluation of the Sustainable Farm Families program

Rural and farming populations in Australia have above average rates of premature morbidity and mortality through heart disease, cancer and suicide. The Sustainable Farm Families (SFF) project is designed to influence farmers' behaviours with respect to health, safety and wellbeing. This report presents the results of an economic evaluation of SFF. The report analyses four economic factors (cost, cost effectiveness, cost utility and cost savings) to provide an economic model of the impact and cost effectiveness of the SFF program. It examines various clinical indicators determined by health checks and evaluates the costs of implementing the project, changes in behaviour, projected changes to morbidity and mortality, and the estimated value of these changes in terms of quality of life and cost savings. The report concludes that the SFF project is good value for money in terms of changing behaviours, thus improving health outcomes for rural Australians and saving government money, and suggests that it may be worthwhile expanding the project.