Health-related quality of life-an economist's perspective

摘要

Measurement of quality of life (QOL) has become a frequent addition to clinical studies in disease management: patients expect treatment to improve their health so they can return to a normal life as quickly as possible. A negative treatment effect can lead to poor compliance or treatment rejection. QOL is an important issue in chronic diseases, such as cancer or rheumatoid arthritis, as patients must live with their disease and treatment over a long period.