Marten J. Poley - Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

144Glossaryefficient one. We are therefore faced with a trade-off betweenequity and efficiency.FunctioningAn outcome measure that reflects any loss or abnormality ofphysical, social, or emotional functioning. In other words, thisterm qualifies functional status, that is, the ability of theindividual to perform particular defined tasks. To be distinguishedfrom outcomes such as biological and physiological factors,symptoms, body function or structure (such as loss of vision orloss of a leg), and health-related quality of life.Health-related quality of life (HRQoL)A combination of physical, mental, and social aspects of apatient's well-being that are relevant and important to thepatient. Restricted to aspects of quality of life that are likely to beinfluenced by health interventions. Measuring HRQoL is differentfrom, and thus should be distinguished from, measuringoutcomes such as biological and physiological factors, symptoms,body function or structure, and functioning.Indirect medical costs (or: indirect health care costs)Health care costs made after the period that refers to the directmedical costs. Two categories of indirect (or: future) medicalcosts may be distinguished: costs of clinically related diseasesand costs of other, unrelated diseases (co-morbidities).Indirect nonmedical costs (or: indirect non-healthcare costs)Costs associated with production loss and replacement caused byillness, disability, and death of productive persons, both paid andunpaid. Indirect nonmedical costs are also referred to asproductivity costs.Informal careCare provided to disabled people by relatives and friends who arenot paid for the help they provide.Perspective in economic evaluationThe viewpoint from which an economic evaluation is performed. Itmay be that of the patient, hospital, health care system,government, or society. The societal perspective is the preferredperspective in economic evaluation. This implies that all costs andeffects of a studied intervention should be taken into account,irrespective of to whom they accrue.