Perception of health status and quality of life of extremely low-birth weight survivors - The consumer, the provider, and the child

In neonatal intensive care, parents make important clinical management deci sions in conjunction with health professionals. Little information is avail able in the literature, however, on whether the preferences of health care professionals, parents, and children differ for the resulting health outcom es. This article compares the preferences of these stakeholders for four to five hypothetical health states that are common to extremely low-birth wei ght infants. The findings have conceptual and practical implications for de cision making in the neonatal intensive care unit.