Dear all,
Thanks Albert, Carol and Richard for your insights. This gives me
enough food for thought.
Frederick
Date sent: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 20:13:38 +0100
Send reply to: Goffin Consultancy <[log in to unmask]>
From: Goffin Consultancy <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Psycosocial costs
To: [log in to unmask]
> In my view, I have to question the value of trying to assign a value to
> relative health. Firstly, as Prof Okunade says, one concept of relative
> health depends on several internal and environmental factors. Secondly,
> using a VAS is fine for that particular condition and that particular
> patient in that particular circumstance but what can one realistically do
> with the information - the nest you can say is that in these circumstances
> the quality adjusted outcome is such and such -it cannot apply to anything
> else nor can conclusions be made as to relative benefits of one treatment
> for a condition, or between conditions.
>
> I realise this is a very negative attitude but I strongly feel that we
> have to look at what we mean by quality of life and its measurement
>
> Dr Richard Phillips MBBS FFPM MBA
>
> The Goffin Consultancy Ltd
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> United Kingdom
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>
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>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Healthecon-discuss is the general, international health economics
> discussion list. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> Albert A. OKUNADE Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 7:14 PM To:
> [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Psycosocial costs
>
>
> Hi-
> Perhaps the question of HOW MUCH 'less than perfect' is more important
> than 'less than perfect'. Obviously, 'rationality' is bounded, and may in
> fact be impaired when one is ill. How much one is able to assess own
> health status can be clouded by the specific circumstance; that is, by the
> degree or intensity of illness, prior medical knowledge, patient's age,
> education, ... . Take the case of a do-it-yourselfer, whose toes are
> accidentally damaged (not completely amputated) in a lawn mowing activity
> in own yard. His initial reaction may be a belief in the complete loss of
> 2 fingers for ever. Later, this is likely revised as treatments begin and
> patient reassured by the attending surgeon that full use of the fingers
> will be in order eventually. Now, it also matters who the care taker is.
> If not a medical professional, the assessment of the state of an ill
> health may be worse than that made by a professional health personnel.....
>
> For literature, you may wish to check with Health/Medical or Nursing
> Psychology literature....
>
> Good luck!
>
> Prof. Albert A. Okunade
> Department of Economics, Rm. 450BB
> The FCBE
> University of Memphis
> Memphis, TN 38152
> tel: (901) 678-2672; fax: (901) 678-2685
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Frederick Mugisha <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thursday, August 16, 2001 1:56 am
> Subject: Psycosocial costs
>
> > Dear all,
> > When a person is ill, he/she ranks his/her health status as less than
> > perfect. But a person who takes care of him/her does so as well. Can one
> > say this a reflection of pycosocial costs of illness? Does anyone have
> > an idea of the literature one could read? Thanks Frederick
> >
>
Frederick Mugisha,
Dept. Tropical Hygiene & Public Health,
Heidelberg University,
Im Neuenheimer Feld 324,
D-69120 Heidelberg,
Germany.
Tel: +49 6221 56 4682
Fax: +49 6221 56 5949
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.hyg.uni-heidelberg.de
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