ArticlePharmacoEconomics2026
Are Health Gains to Children and Adolescents More Important Than Health Gains to Adults? A Person Trade-Off Study.
Article in PharmacoEconomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeHealthcare decision-making often assumes equal value for quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) across patient groups, yet societal preferences suggest that the value of a QALY may vary with characteristics such as age. Evidence indicates some willingness to prioritise child health gains, though findings are inconsistent. This study used person trade-off (PTO) to estimate the relative social value of different types of health gains for children and adolescents (aged 0-24 years) compared with adults.
methodsA representative Australian sample aged 16 years and above (n = 2098) completed an online survey comparing life extension and quality-of-life improvements for different ages. A 'chaining' approach tested response consistency, and logistic regression explored associations between PTO choices and respondent characteristics. Attitudinal questions and open text responses provided additional insights.
resultsPTO responses show that health gains for children and adolescents (4-24 years) are generally valued more highly than those for adults (age 40 or 55 years), with weights ranging from 1 to 1.3. For very young children, findings vary by health gain type: life extensions for infants (1 month or 2 years) are weighted lower, but pain alleviation is higher (weights ≥ 1.2). Qualitative and attitudinal data reveal diverse views, with many opposing age-weighting. Younger respondents and those with young children prioritise children more, while older and female participants preferred equal treatment.
conclusionsThe relative value of child QALY gains varies by age of the child, by health gain type, and by adult comparison age. While alleviating children's pain is strongly supported (weights ≥ 1.2), overall views are polarised, highlighting the complexity of age-based prioritisation.
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