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Does freedom make a difference?

Author

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  • Philippe Tessier

    (SPHERE - MethodS in Patients-centered outcomes and HEalth ResEarch - UT - Université de Tours - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale - Université de Nantes - UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques - UN - Université de Nantes)

  • Josselin Thuilliez

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Perceived capabilities—a subjective operationalization of Sen's concept of capability—and subjective well-being are increasingly regarded as relevant information about individual well-being to guide resources allocation in healthcare. Although they refer to different notions, both types of measures rely on self-reported information and little is known as to how they compare together empirically. The aim of this paper is to investigate differences between measures of subjective well-being and of perceived capabilities in terms of their correlation with dimensions of health-related quality of life using panel data concerning a sample of 293 breast cancer and melanoma patients. Regression analyses suggest that the measures capture quite different aspects of the patients' welfare. Differences in the correlation with dimensions of health also seem consistent with the underlying notions to which these measures refer. However, our findings also suggest that future researches should aim at determining how measures of perceived capabilities may be influenced by individual personality traits.

Suggested Citation

  • Philippe Tessier & Josselin Thuilliez, 2018. "Does freedom make a difference?," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01744022, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-01744022
    DOI: 10.1007/s10198-018-0967-1
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    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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