Quality-adjusted life-years and other health indices: A comparative analysis

This article provides a descriptive overview of both unadjusted and adjuste d health indices that are being applied in the current health-services rese arch literature. We describe, give examples, and discuss a variety of the b etter-known health indices. Summary tables that compare health indices acro ss dimensions, such as level of analysis, weighting methodology, preference measurement, and longevity measurement, are also included. Our goal is to provide information about similarities among and differences between health indices and enhance understanding of comparative health-outcome measuremen t. An extensive list of references is included to guide the reader toward a dditional discussions of metrics and methodologies. Given the multitude of health indices reported in the literature, this descriptive and comparative overview provides a framework for understanding these metrics in the conte xt of health-outcomes research.