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Is Subjective Well-being a Useful Parameter for Allocating Resources among Public Interventions?

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Abstract

Scarce public resources requiretrade-offs between competing programs indifferent sectors, and the careful allocationof fixed resources within a single sector. Thispaper argues that a general quality of lifeinstrument encompassing health-related andnon-health-related components is suitable fordetermining the best trade-offs betweensectors. Further, this paper suggests thatsubjective well-being shows the propertiescrucial to a general quality of life measureand has additional advantages that makes itparticularly useful for the allocation ofpublic and health care resources. The paperargues that Western societies are in anunusually prosperous situation today whichallows to concentrate efforts not only onreducing harm but also on improving positivestates of health. Further, subjectivewell-being can be evaluated from the patient'sperspective and incorporates a valuation oflife expectancy. Criteria required for anappropriate questionnaire that measuressubjective well-being are presented.

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  1. Institute of Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Germany (E-mail

    Afschin Gandjour

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  1. Afschin Gandjour
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Gandjour, A. Is Subjective Well-being a Useful Parameter for Allocating Resources among Public Interventions?. Health Care Analysis 9, 437–447 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013814702029

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