Economics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Health Econ. 2020 Jul;29(7):748-765. doi: 10.1002/hec.4017. Epub 2020 Apr 16.
This paper offers an approach to assessing quality of life, based on Sen's (1985) theory, which it uses to understand loss in quality of life due to mobility impairment. Specifically, it provides a novel theoretical analysis that is able to account for the possibility that some functionings may increase when a person's capabilities decrease, if substitution effects are large enough. We then develop new data consistent with our theoretical framework that permits comparison of quality of life between those with a disability (mobility impairment) and those without. Empirical results show that mobility impairment has widespread rather than concentrated impacts on capabilities and is associated with high psychological costs. We also find evidence that a small number of functionings are higher for those with a disability, as our theory allows. The paper concludes by discussing possible implications for policy and health assessment methods.
本文提出了一种基于森（1985）理论的生活质量评估方法，该方法用于理解因行动能力受损导致的生活质量下降。具体来说，本文提供了一种新颖的理论分析，能够解释在替代效应足够大的情况下，当一个人的能力下降时，某些功能的实现可能会增加。然后，我们开发了新的数据，这些数据与我们的理论框架一致，允许在残疾（行动能力受损）和非残疾个体之间进行生活质量的比较。实证结果表明，行动能力受损对能力的影响广泛而不是集中，并且与高心理成本相关。我们还发现了证据表明，对于那些残疾的人来说，有少数几个功能的实现更高，正如我们的理论所允许的那样。本文最后讨论了政策和健康评估方法的可能影响。
