Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept
The QALY (quality-adjusted life years) attempts to incorporate the dimension of quality of life into the evaluation by adjusting life years by a quality factor. In practice, this is based on discussing with people the progression of a number of hypothetical illnesses and their ensuing side effects....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2003-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2003.79 |
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| author | Soren Ventegodt Joav Merrick Niels Jorgen Andersen |
| author_facet | Soren Ventegodt Joav Merrick Niels Jorgen Andersen |
| author_sort | Soren Ventegodt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The QALY (quality-adjusted life years) attempts to incorporate the dimension of quality of life into the evaluation by adjusting life years by a quality factor. In practice, this is based on discussing with people the progression of a number of hypothetical illnesses and their ensuing side effects. From this information, the person assesses how each state of health described compares with a theoretical maximum state of health. For example, 1 day with a certain condition might the equivalent of living only 0.5 days in good health.We believe that QALY value only represents a superficial impression of a person's quality of life. In short, the QALY does not express what it means for a person to live a life at reduced quality. We believe that if the patients were optimally informed and allowed to decide for themselves, they would more often reject high-tech expensive biomedical treatments that only serve to prolong life and do not increase its quality. The problem of priorities may then turn out to be far more simple and also more ethical: the focus will be on the quality of life, not on QALY, and the question of the meaning of life and death will achieve greater openness and respect. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-825200a1d25040e99f9dcd90f6350648 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2003-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-825200a1d25040e99f9dcd90f63506482025-02-03T07:25:30ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2003-01-0131015101910.1100/tsw.2003.79Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life ConceptSoren Ventegodt0Joav Merrick1Niels Jorgen Andersen2The Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen K, DenmarkThe Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen K, DenmarkThe Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen K, DenmarkThe QALY (quality-adjusted life years) attempts to incorporate the dimension of quality of life into the evaluation by adjusting life years by a quality factor. In practice, this is based on discussing with people the progression of a number of hypothetical illnesses and their ensuing side effects. From this information, the person assesses how each state of health described compares with a theoretical maximum state of health. For example, 1 day with a certain condition might the equivalent of living only 0.5 days in good health.We believe that QALY value only represents a superficial impression of a person's quality of life. In short, the QALY does not express what it means for a person to live a life at reduced quality. We believe that if the patients were optimally informed and allowed to decide for themselves, they would more often reject high-tech expensive biomedical treatments that only serve to prolong life and do not increase its quality. The problem of priorities may then turn out to be far more simple and also more ethical: the focus will be on the quality of life, not on QALY, and the question of the meaning of life and death will achieve greater openness and respect.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2003.79 |
| spellingShingle | Soren Ventegodt Joav Merrick Niels Jorgen Andersen Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept |
| title_full | Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept |
| title_fullStr | Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept |
| title_short | Measurement of Quality of Life VI. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is an Unfortunate Use of the Quality-of-Life Concept |
| title_sort | measurement of quality of life vi quality adjusted life years qaly is an unfortunate use of the quality of life concept |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2003.79 |
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