A disease model is a simplified mathematical representation of the course of a disease over time in a patient cohort. In health technology assessment, disease models are used to represent the progression of chronic diseases and the impact of risk factors of interest on disease incidence, progression and mortality. Often a micro-simulation approach is used, but simpler models may use a cohort Markov design (Markov model). Model inputs generally come from epidemiological studies. Disease models may be used to assess the potential impact of new therapies through varying the rates of progression or the balance of risk factors. They may form the basis of economic models, where specific treatment options are compared and treatment costs and utility values are included as inputs.
How to cite: Disease Model [online]. (2016). York; York Health Economics Consortium; 2016. https://yhec.co.uk/glossary/disease-model