ACTA webinar - Estimating inequalities in health using quality-adjusted life expectancy: equity implications for health technology assessment and clinical trials

Topics:HEAT SIG

The Quality-adjusted life year (QALY), constructed from patient reported quality of life measurements, is routinely used in health technology assessment. In order to compare and evaluate across new health technologies, the QALY must hold the same value no matter to whom the benefit accrues. However, societal preferences indicate concerns for inequity in health outcomes, and these equity concerns are not currently reflected within standard cost-effectiveness analysis.

In this seminar we will describe how quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) can be used to monitor health inequalities. We will present estimates for QALE for the Australian population, including how this varies by socioeconomic status. Lastly, we will discuss how this distribution of health across socioeconomic groups can be applied to equity-informed methods of cost-effectiveness analysis and the important role that data collection within clinical trials can play in improving the evaluation of the potential equity impacts of healthcare funding decisions.

Presenter

Sheridan Rodda

Sheridan is undertaking a PhD in health economics within the Health Economics and Policy Evaluation Research Group, under the leadership of Prof. Zanfina Ademi at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. She is also an experienced clinical pharmacist at Monash Health where she has implemented and evaluated innovative, pharmacist-led models of care. The focus of her PhD is on advancing the integration of equity into health technology assessment.

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