TY - JOUR
T1 - A new axiomatic approach to the evaluation of population health
AU - Hougaard, Jens Leth
AU - Moreno-Ternero, Juan D.
AU - Østerdal, Lars Peter Raahave
N1 - Available online 19 February 2013
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - In this paper we explore the implications of normative principles for the evaluation of population health. We formalize those principles as axioms for social preferences over distributions of health for a given population. We single out several focal population health evaluation functions, which represent social preferences, as a result of combinations of those axioms. Our results provide new rationale for popular theories in health economics, such as the unweighted aggregation of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or healthy years equivalents (HYEs) and generalizations of the two, aimed to capture concerns for distributive justice, without resorting to controversial assumptions on individual preferences.
AB - In this paper we explore the implications of normative principles for the evaluation of population health. We formalize those principles as axioms for social preferences over distributions of health for a given population. We single out several focal population health evaluation functions, which represent social preferences, as a result of combinations of those axioms. Our results provide new rationale for popular theories in health economics, such as the unweighted aggregation of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or healthy years equivalents (HYEs) and generalizations of the two, aimed to capture concerns for distributive justice, without resorting to controversial assumptions on individual preferences.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2013.01.006
DO - 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2013.01.006
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23542019
SN - 0167-6296
VL - 32
SP - 515
EP - 523
JO - Journal of Health Economics
JF - Journal of Health Economics
IS - 3
ER -