Publisher's Synopsis
This is a methods text which describes the variety of approaches available in the assessment and evaluation of health and medical care. It describes the principles of randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, cohort studies and social surveys, and considers the value of qualitative methods in gaining an understanding of healthcare.;Also included are chapters on the principles and problems of measuring outcomes in terms of patient satisfaction and quality of life, and assessing the economic value of treatments. The specific methodological problems of screening are discussed, and a final chapter outlines the issues surrounding meta-analysis and systematic reviews.
