The social value of health programmes: is age a relevant factor?
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
1Department of Applied Economics, University of Vigo, Galicia, Spain. emiguez@uvigo.es
Abstract:
In cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) it is usually assumed that a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) is of equal value to everybody, irrespective of the patient's age. However, it is possible that society assigns different social values to a QALY, according to who gets it. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of weighting health benefits for age in CEA. We also examine the possibility that age-related preferences depend on the size of the health gain. An experiment was performed to test these hypotheses. The assessment of results suggests that the patient's age is a relevant factor when assessing health gains.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
Dimensions of Health and Illness
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...