QALYs in psychiatric care?

Abstract

In the form of economic evaluation known as cost-utility analysis, the consequences of health programmes are measured in time units adjusted by health utility weights (i.e., states of health valued relative to one another in terms of notional quality). The outcome of health programmes can then be expressed in terms of increased (or decreased) life expectancy and increased (or decreased) quality-of-life. This provides a device for evaluating health programmes that extend life at the expense of undesirable effects, or, that produce reduced morbidity rather than reduced mortality.