The Rational Zero Point for an Illness Index With Ratio Properties

Bibliographic Data

ID9098712
AuthorsT H Brain Haig, Terrence Haig (University of Saskatchewan, corresponding author), David A Scott (0000-0001-9083-580X, University of Saskatchewan), Louise I Wickett (University of Saskatchewan, corresponding author)
Year1986
Volume24
Issue2
Pages113-124
Publication date1986-02-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/00005650-198602000-00003
PMID3945134
OpenAlexW2005667557
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited6

To be of greatest use for the measurement of significant variations in treatment outcomes, a health status index should have ratio properties. Previous attempts to construct such a scale using the magnitude estimation technique have failed, principally because of an inappropriate choice for the zero point. By rejecting death as the logical zero point for a scale of social preference and choosing instead the absence of that being measured (dysfunction and discomfort), the authors attained reliable values from patients, for an illness index, using magnitude estimation. This type of scale allows comparative judgments between treatment methods to be made with greater validity. It should aid in the wise allocation of health care resources

Index (typography) · Point (geometry) · Statistics · Zero (linguistics) · Computer Science · Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life · Mathematics · Medicine · Philosophy · Point processes and geometric inequalities · Probability and Risk Models

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