Measurement of the Benefit : Risk Comparison, Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Utility.

Abstract

The benefits of treatment comprise reductions in mortality and morbidity and improvements in quality of life (QOL) . The risks should be expressed in the same units as benefits and comprise increases in mortality and morbidity and a deterioration in QOL. Both benefit and risk should be expressed numerically as incidence, for example a 1% decrease in mortality from coronary heart disease/year to be compared with 0.01%/year increase in deaths from liver disease.