Developing An Australian Valuation For The EQ-5D-5L Quality Of Life Instrument
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,357.00
Summary
In the assessment of gains resulting from a health technology, it is standard to consider both mortality and quality of life effects. This project explores how Australians value different components of quality of life. To do this, we are running an online survey called a discrete choice experiment, and analysing the data using a range of cutting-edge econometric techniques. This will allow policy-makers to better reflect people's preferences when making decisions about new technologies.
New Approaches To Describing And Valuing Quality Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,596.00
Summary
The ability of healthcare to improve quality of life is a major factor in determining public subsidy. This fellowship first explores patterns in Australian quality of life. This will identify groups with poor quality of life, and the remedying impact achieved under various interventions. It will then consider how people place value on aspects of quality of life. The two strands will allow linkage between important areas of quality of life and the policy impact of health interventions.
Ensuring The Sustainability Of Care For People With Dementia Now And Into The Future
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$717,063.00
Summary
Ensuring adequate the funding of appropriate and timely care is available for people living with dementia is a key concern for the public and for governments. This research will develop new methods of measuring the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatments and care packages for people with dementia. This will help ensure the sustainability of our health and social care system into the future by directing scarce resources into programs most likely to be of benefit.
Development And Valuation Of Cancer-specific Multi-attribute Health States For Use In Economic Evaluation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$707,671.00
Summary
Economic evaluation is used by the Australian government in deciding which medical services and pharmaceuticals should be funded. This study will develop quality of life utility measures for use in economic evaluation of cancer interventions in Australia and internationally. This represents a significant methodological contribution to the assessment of quality of life, effectiveness and efficiency in cancer, in one of Australia's national health priority areas.
Application Of Discrete Choice Experiments To Value Multi-attribute Health States For Use In Economic Evaluation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,369.00
Summary
Economic evaluation is used increasingly by health care decision makers to decide which health care programs provide the best value for money, in terms of improving health and quality of life outcomes for the population. It is used by the Australian government in deciding which medical services and pharmaceuticals should be funded. This requires measurement of quality of life in a way that allows comparison across treatments, and a means of quantifying community preferences for different health ....Economic evaluation is used increasingly by health care decision makers to decide which health care programs provide the best value for money, in terms of improving health and quality of life outcomes for the population. It is used by the Australian government in deciding which medical services and pharmaceuticals should be funded. This requires measurement of quality of life in a way that allows comparison across treatments, and a means of quantifying community preferences for different health states (that is, how we value health outcomes). Health outcomes are often valued using the quality adjusted life year (QALY) which combines length and quality of life in a single measure. To compare across diseases and treatments, quality of life must be measured in the same way. This can be done by using a standard set of questions that cover the different aspects of quality of life (eg pain, mobility, emotional state). In this way, a single survey instrument can be used for any disease or outcome of treatment. We can also use the same instrument to ask members of the public to provide information about their preferences for different health states (that is how they value health outcomes). However, obtaining this information from respondents is complex, and there is debate about which are the best instruments, and the best methods to value health outcomes. In this research, we propose a new approach to valuing health states, which is easier to administer and which allows for more detailed and rigorous analysis of the responses people give, to provide better models of how the different aspects of quality of life are combined in valuing health outcomes. We will compare the new method with the main existing methods. We will compare these methods for two standard quality of life instruments that are widely used in health care research. The research will also provide valuations of health states from the Australian population that can then be used in economic evaluation.Read moreRead less
Development And Validation Of A Health Policy Simulation Model For Type 1 Diabetes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,199.00
Summary
This proposal brings together an international multi-disciplinary team to develop and validate a health economic computer simulation model for type 1 diabetes and its complications. It examines the impact of diabetes on costs as well as quality of life. Outcomes generated by the model will inform health policy decisions regarding allocation of resources for people with type 1 diabetes such as cost-effectiveness analysis of new treatments and technologies.
HCV Treatment Among Male Inmates In NSW: Determining Social Capital Indicators For Accessing Treatment And Improvements In QALYs Post-treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$69,060.00
Summary
The HCV treatment among male inmates in NSW study will focus on identifying and measuring the social capital of inmates in custody with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in NSW correctional centres. A comparison of the social capital experienced by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men will be conducted. A cost-utility analysis of HCV treatment will also be conducted. Changes in social capital and quality-adjusted life years following treatment will be measured to identify any gains achieved following complet ....The HCV treatment among male inmates in NSW study will focus on identifying and measuring the social capital of inmates in custody with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in NSW correctional centres. A comparison of the social capital experienced by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men will be conducted. A cost-utility analysis of HCV treatment will also be conducted. Changes in social capital and quality-adjusted life years following treatment will be measured to identify any gains achieved following completion of treatment.Read moreRead less
Developing A Common Outcome Measure For Priority Setting In Health: Validation Of The 'Transfer To Utility' Technique
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,100.00
Summary
The economic evaluation of health programs is a common requirement of funders and purchasers seeking to get the best value from the health dollar. But researchers employ a wide range of disease specific and generic health status instruments to describe trial outcomes, making comparison between diverse interventions difficult. In response to this problem a 'Transfer to Utility' or TTU technique was developed by Dr Segal and colleagues, to translate diverse outcomes reported in clinical trials, in ....The economic evaluation of health programs is a common requirement of funders and purchasers seeking to get the best value from the health dollar. But researchers employ a wide range of disease specific and generic health status instruments to describe trial outcomes, making comparison between diverse interventions difficult. In response to this problem a 'Transfer to Utility' or TTU technique was developed by Dr Segal and colleagues, to translate diverse outcomes reported in clinical trials, into a utility score, so the performance of diverse health interventions can be expressed in cost-QALY and compared. The technique establishes a statistical transformation between instruments commonly used in clinical trials and a utility value. While the technique appears highly useful, based on a priority setting exercise in osteoarthritis enabling 20 disparate interventions to be compared its validity and applicability in other contexts is not established. The purpose of the grant is to explore the TTU technique to i) establish the best method for estimating the regression equation between common health outcome measures and a utility score and validating that method; ii) test generalisability to other disease areas, for which quality of life is the primary objective of management (in stroke, drug dependence and depression), iii) develop and validate a method for translating the most commonly used measure of general health status, the SF-36, into a utility score and iv) illustrate the application of the TTU in comparing intervensions for the prevention and management of depression. The results of the research will be of value to i) decision makers who must compare the performance of medical-health care interventions across a range of diseases and modalities and ii) to clinicians who want to practice evidenced based health care. The potential health gains for the community are substantial, in supporting the redirection of resources to more effective and cost-effectiveRead moreRead less
Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions ....Work life after a diagnosis of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer: Major disruption or work as usual. Each year, over 40,000 working-age individuals (as well as their families and workplaces) are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. This novel and important study will, for the first time in Australia, identify the extent and effects of loss of skilled workers from the workforce because of a diagnosis of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer and will lead to the development of new interventions that help people to recover from cancer. This project is critical to help advance health and labour policies in Australia which currently faces an ageing population, global economic unrest and rising unemployment.Read moreRead less