Hj. Sutherland et Je. Till, QUALITY-OF-LIFE ASSESSMENTS AND LEVELS OF DECISION-MAKING - DIFFERENTIATING OBJECTIVES, Quality of life research, 2(4), 1993, pp. 297-303
The purpose of this paper is to examine uses of quality of life (QOL)
measurements at different levels of decision making within the health
care system, ranging from the micro (clinical) level, through the meso
(agency, institutional or regional) level to the macro and meta (gove
rnmental) levels. We use individualized, group and population-based QO
L and preference assessments as illustrative examples of ways in which
QOL information and decision making level interact. We conclude that
the meso and macro levels pose particularly challenging problems, and
suggest that, if the primary emphasis is placed on applications of QOL
assessments at the micro (clinical) level of decision making, a resea
rch agenda that is much too limited may be adopted.