Cost-effectiveness studies require one to estimate overall program effectiveness using
multiple outcome measures. However, one must first establish the relative importance of
the different outcomes. Using an iterative process of group discussion, voting, and
feedback of results, subjects ranked nine outcome scales in priority and assigned
importance weights. Improvement in client ability to be self-supporting was judged the
most important outcome, with symptom reduction second. Involvement with friends and
substance abuse were judged the least important outcomes. The group achieved a high
degree of consensus, as measured by convergence towards increasingly precise and distinct
importance weights.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bell, D., R. L. Keeney, and H. Raiffa [eds.] (1977) Conflicting Objectives in Decisions. New York: John Wiley.
2.
Dalkey, N.C. (1975) "A delphi study of factors affecting the quality of life," in H. A. Linstone and M. Turoff (eds.) The Delphi Method: Techniques and Applications. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
3.
——— (1972) Studies in the Quality of Life: Delphi and Decision Making. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
4.
Edwards, W., M. Guttentag, and K. Snapper (1975) "A decision-theoretic approach to evaluation research ," in E. L. Struening and M. Guttentag (eds.) Handbook of Evaluation Research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage .
5.
Gibbons, J.D. (1971) Nonparametric Statistical Inference. New York: McGraw-Hill.
6.
Jillson, I.A. (1975) "The national drug-abuse policy delphi: progress report and findings to date," in H. A. Linstone and M. Turoff (eds.) The Delphi Method: Techniques and Applications. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
——— and H. Raiffa (1976) Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs. New York: John Wiley.
9.
Kiresuk, T.J. and R.E. Sherman (1968) "Goal attainment scaling: a general method for evaluating comprehensive community mental health programs." Community Mental Health J.4: 443-453.
10.
Lorei, T.W. and E.M. Caffey, Jr. (1978) "Goal definition by staff consensus: a contribution to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of mental health services." J. of Consulting and Clinical Psychology46: 1284-1290.
11.
MacCrimmon, K.R. and D.A. Wehrung (1977) "Trade-off analysis: the indifference and preferred proportions approaches," in D. Bell et al. (eds.) Conflicting Objectives in Decisions. New York: John Wiley.
12.
Newman, F. (1979) "The use of global assessment scales in client/patient outcome assessment," in Draft Report: Workshop on client/patient outcome evaluation in mental health. (Contract No. 233-78-2015). Report on an NIMH-sponsored workshop in Baltimore in June 1979, on mental health outcome assessment. Alexandria, VA: Analysis, Management, & Planning, Inc.
13.
Patrick, D.L. (1976) "Constructing social metrics for health status indices." Int. J. of Health Services6: 443-453.
14.
Stevens, S.S. (1968) "Ratio scales of opinion," in D. K. Whitla (ed.) Handbook of Measurement and Assessment in Behavioral Science. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
15.
——— (1959) "Measurement, psychophysics, and utility," in C. W. Churchman and P. Ratoosh (eds.) Measurement: Definitions and Theories . New York: John Wiley.
16.
Stimson, D.H. (1969) "Utility measurement in public health decision making." Management Sci.16: 237-253.
17.
Turoff, M. (1975) "The policy delphi," in H. A. Linstone and M. Turoff (eds.) The Delphi Method: Techniques and Applications. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
18.
Tversky, A. (1977) "On the elicitation of preferences: descriptive and prescriptive considerations," in D. Bell et al. (eds.) Conflicting Objectives in Decisions. New York: John Wiley.
19.
Yates, B.T., W.G. Haven, and C.E. Thoresen (1979) "Micro and macro cost-effectiveness analyses at Learning House," in J. S. Stumphauzer (ed.) Progress in Behavior Therapy with Delinquents. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
