Evaluation of housing adaptation interventions: integrating the economic perspective into occupational therapy practice
Engelsk titel: Evaluation of housing adaptation interventions: integrating the economic perspective into occupational therapy practice
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Författare:
Chiatti, Carlos
;
Iwarsson, Susanne
Email: c.chiatti@inrca.it
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 45
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 14111185
Sammanfattning
Objective: The home environment is a key determinant of health, quality of life, and well-being. Given its relevance for such
aspects, the scarcity of evaluations of housing adaptation (HA) interventions aimed at removing environmental barriers and
accessibility problems in the homes of people with disabilities is surprising. This article aims to contribute to the development
of strategies for economic evaluations of HA interventions, by stimulating the dissemination and application of the concepts of
effectiveness, cost, and cost-effectiveness as used within health economics. Methods: The focus is limited to three overarching
questions for the evaluation of HA interventions. Considering X and Y as two hypothetical interventions for the same
individual case, the article asks: (i) Will X be more effective than Y?; (ii) Will X cost more than Y?, and (iii) Will X be more
cost-effective than Y? Vignette-like descriptions of fictional cases are used to exemplify the economic concepts explained in the
article. Results and conclusion: In the conclusion, the need is stressed for new experimental data regarding both costs and
outcomes of HA interventions, in order to realize sound evaluations with the potential to inform policy and professionals in this
field. Given the heterogeneity among national contexts, systematic approaches applied in a coherent manner could strengthen
cross-national research and collaborations.