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.
This webinar described how quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) can be used to monitor health inequalities. We presented estimates for QALE for the Australian population, including how this varies by socioeconomic status. Finally, we discussed 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 evaluation of the potential equity impacts of healthcare funding decisions.