[Knowledge, values and politics in health economics]

To assess the level of agreement in positive questions, and policy-value questions in Health Economics of the members of the Spanish Health Economics Association (AES).

A survey was made among the members of the AES (42 academic health economists, 196 health managers, and 34 practising physicians). The survey included 20 positive questions, 11 policy questions, 4 value questions, and 5 socio-demographic questions. An analysis of the average absolute differences between percentage agreeing and percentage disagreeing by type of question was performed.

Two main results can be identified. First, there are no significant differences in the level of agreement between health economists, health care managers and practising physicians with respect to positive and policy-value questions. Second, there is no significant difference in the level of agreement in the three identified groups between type of questions (positive versus policy-value questions).

There are no significant differences in the agreement about the positive questions between the three identified groups in the AES (academic health economists, health care managers and practising physicians.