Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42045815›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2026

A new health economic measure for improving the health and wellbeing of older Australians in subacute care settings: a study protocol.

Jenny Cleland, Kiri Lay, Jyoti Khadka, Zoe Adey-Wakeling, Craig Whitehead, Dina LoGiudice, Julie Ratcliffe

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jenny ClelandHealth and Social Care Economics, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Jenny.cleland@flinders.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-1722-8015
Kiri LayHealth and Social Care Economics, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1077-3771
Jyoti KhadkaHealth and Social Care Economics, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1012-2119
Zoe Adey-WakelingDepartment of Rehabilitation, Flinders Medical Centre, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9231-5250
Craig WhiteheadCollege of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Dina LoGiudiceDepartment of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0391-3898
Julie RatcliffeHealth and Social Care Economics, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-7365-1988

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council 2024/GNT2033277
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe measurement and valuation of quality of life for older people is critical for economic evaluation and for person-centred quality assessment across health and aged care sectors. However, most existing quality of life (QoL) measures were developed for younger populations and do not encapsulate what is important to older people’s QoL. The Quality of Life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC), a preference-based quality of life measure, co-designed with older Australians in aged care, addressed this gap and is now part of the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program. Health and aged care systems for older people overlap as many individuals require a continuum of care that spans both sectors. In Australia, the health care system is predominantly occupied by older people, with subacute services the fastest growing area. Subacute care is a specialised multi-disciplinary care that supports recovery and functional optimisation where the main goal is maximisation of QoL. Building on our previous work in aged care, this study will develop and validate a QoL measure tailored to older people receiving subacute services, supporting improved care and informed policy making decisions.

methodsThis study consists of three stages. Qualitative interviews with older people in subacute care settings to assess the face validity and content validity of the QOL-ACC measure using a think-aloud approach. These findings will inform revisions to the QOL ACC, which will then be tested using an iterative interviewing process. The revised QOL-ACC measure will then be validated for older people in subacute settings through rigorous psychometric assessments. Finally, a preference-based scoring algorithm to enable the calculation of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) will be developed. DISCUSSION: Quality improvements are needed across the health care system, particularly for older people, who may have complex health needs. However, their voices are often not heard, as no suitable preference-based QoL measure exists to monitor their QoL. This study will co-develop and validate the first preference-based QoL measure for older people in subacute settings, enabling the application of the QOL-ACC across both health and aged care systems leading to better informed decision-making and maximising QoL outcomes for older people.

Indexed as

Health Services for the AgedQuality of LifeSubacute CareAgedAustralasian PeopleAustraliaHumansEconomic evaluationOlder adultsPreference-based measuresQuality of lifeSubacute care

Identifiers

PMID42045815
PMCPMC13262488

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.