Cross-Country Differences in Quality Adjusted Life Expectancy
Author Information
Author(s): Heijink Richard, van Baal Pieter, Oppe Mark, Koolman Xander, Westert Gert
Primary Institution: Scientific centre for care and welfare (Tranzo), Tilburg University
Hypothesis
How does the choice of value sets impact international differences in health expectancy?
Conclusion
The choice of value set in summary measures of population health can significantly affect cross-country comparisons of health expectancy.
Supporting Evidence
- QALE at age 20 ranged from 33 years in Armenia to almost 61 years in Japan.
- The choice of value set can change health expectancy estimates by up to seven years.
- Different value sets led to significant rank changes in health expectancy across countries.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different countries measure health and finds that the way they value health can change the results a lot.
Methodology
Quality Adjusted Life Expectancy (QALE) was calculated for 15 countries using EQ-5D survey data and life tables, applying the Sullivan approach and nonparametric bootstrap techniques.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from differences in survey administration methods and response heterogeneity across populations.
Limitations
The study did not account for uncertainty in mortality and excluded certain population groups, such as those under 20 and over 85 years old.
Participant Demographics
The average age of respondents was 47, with 46% male, and varying education levels (31% primary, 57% secondary, 12% university).
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95%
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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