QALY

Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) is a measure of the value of health outcomes. Since health is a function of length of life and quality of life, the QALY was developed to combine these attributes into a single index number.

Definition[edit | edit source]

The Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) is a generic measure of disease burden, including both the quality and the quantity of life lived. It is used in economic evaluation to assess the value for money of medical interventions. One QALY equates to one year in perfect health.

Calculation[edit | edit source]

QALYs are calculated by estimating the years of life remaining for a patient following a particular treatment or intervention and weighting each year with a quality-of-life score (on a 0 to 1 scale). It is often measured in terms of the person's ability to carry out the activities of daily life, and freedom from pain and mental disturbance.

Use in healthcare economics[edit | edit source]

QALYs are used in cost-utility analysis to calculate the ratio of cost to QALYs saved for a particular health care intervention. This is then used to allocate healthcare resources, particularly in the UK's National Health Service.

Criticisms[edit | edit source]

There are several criticisms of the QALY methodology, including:

It does not capture all aspects of quality of life
It may discriminate against older people or those with disabilities
It can be difficult to calculate accurately

References[edit | edit source]

QALY Resources
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