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Should the capability approach be applied in Health Economics?
Author(s) -
Coast Joanna,
Smith Richard,
Lorgelly Paula
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
health economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1099-1050
pISSN - 1057-9230
DOI - 10.1002/hec.1359
Subject(s) - equity (law) , capability approach , health economics , space (punctuation) , management science , public economics , economics , positive economics , psychological intervention , risk analysis (engineering) , computer science , actuarial science , operations research , environmental economics , business , health care , medicine , political science , engineering , law , economic growth , psychiatry , operating system
This editorial questions the implications of the capability approach for health economics. Two specific issues are considered: the evaluative space of capablities (as opposed to health or utility) and the decision‐making principle of maximisation. The paper argues that the capability approach can provide a richer evaluative space enabling improved evaluation of many interventions. It also argues that more thought is needed about the decision‐making principles both within the capability approach and within health economics more generally. Specifically, researchers should analyse equity‐oriented principles such as equalisation and a ‘decent minimum’ of capability, rather than presuming that the goal must be the maximisation of capability. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.