Bristol Research Network (BRN) Seminar - Valuing quality of life in Bristol: putting health differences into context

Venue: The Council House, Bristol, BS1 5TR.

(Tea and coffee will be provided) 

The ICECAP instrument is a five-question, general quality of life measure that was administered as part of the 2006 Bristol Quality of Life Neighbourhood Survey. It showed patterns of quality of life in Bristol that have been observed elsewhere: it is worst for those in middle age, and is particularly adversely affected by social isolation, perceived inability to influence local decision-making and measures of poor psychological health in addition to impaired physical health.

However, it is the numerical index values applied to respondents' answers that make ICECAP particularly useful. These tell us how bad, on a percentage scale, the average British citizen considers life in these states to be. Using these index values, it will be shown that average quality of life in Bristol varies from around 87% in the least deprived ward to less than 78% in the most deprived. The average figure for patients awaiting joint replacement is around 77%.

Further results will be presented, together with an explanation of the discrete choice survey that provided the index values. Other examples of such surveys will be presented which illustrate how decision-making in transport and environmental policy could be similarly informed by citizens' values.