QALY
Pronunciation: KWAY-lee
Also written as: QALY — Quality-Adjusted Life Year
Quality-Adjusted Life Year, a health outcome measure combining survival time with quality of life.
Full Definition
QALY (Quality-Adjusted Life Year) is a standardized metric used in health economics to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions, including cancer screening programs. One QALY represents one year of life in perfect health, with values less than 1.0 reflecting diminished quality of life due to illness or treatment effects. In cancer screening contexts, QALYs help policymakers compare the relative benefits of different screening strategies while accounting for both mortality reduction and quality of life impacts.
Usage
Usage note: Always define the acronym on first use in patient-facing materials.
In Context
- "The cost-effectiveness analysis showed the screening program cost $15,000 per QALY gained." — Health economics report
- "Researchers calculated that early detection resulted in an additional 2.3 QALYs per patient." — Clinical outcomes study