Quality of life and utility measures: clinical parameters for decision-making in health

Abstract

In recent decades, the international scientific community has become increasingly interested in the concept of quality of life. One of the most important implications of the focus on quality of life is a shift from cure to a guarantee of a better life as a health care goal, as well as the inclusion of individuals' preferences for certain health states in the decision-making process associated with treatments, diagnostic strategies, and health spending. This is especially important as the prevalence of chronic diseases increases as a result of the aging of the population. This piece describes the main concepts and applications related to this new health paradigm, including quality of life itself, utility measures, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and health decision analysis.