Evaluation of multi-dimensional outcomes of chronic diseases: A clinical example from China.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2010 Oct 29.
Liang Y, Lu Z, Zhang N, Shen L.
Department of Social Medicine, Public Health School, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, PR China.
The purpose of this study is to provide the evidence of individualized/personalized care by evaluating multi-dimensional outcomes of chronic diseases in the elderly. We used primary osteoporosis as an example, to evaluate the outcomes of three treatments (calcium combined vitamin D=Ca+vit.D; estrogen and disphosphonates) at the same time with biological dimension (bone-mineral density=BMD) and socio-psychological dimension (health-related quality of life=HR-QOL), using the medical outcomes study short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36) and cost dimension (drug cost).
Using BMD as the outcome index, disphosphonate was the most effective treatment,
in terms of HR-QOL, estrogen was the most effective
while Ca+vit.D was the cheapest treatment, namely, different dimensional outcomes with different results.
Outcome evaluation of chronic diseases in the elderly needs to combine psychological and socio-economic parameters together with the physiological measurement, to encourage a transition from "the disease-centered" to "the patient-centered" perspective as well as achieve sustainable and coordinated development of health and socio-economic resources.
- - - - -
Comment at VitaminDWiki. Even better: have enough vitamin D for years - thus reduce the chance of getting Osteororosis