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CURRENT DEBATE Going beyond the disability-based morbidity definition in the compression of morbidity framework
| Content Provider | CiteSeerX |
|---|---|
| Author | Razak, Fahad Subramanian, S. V. |
| Abstract | Background: As originally proposed by Fries, conceptualizing morbidity solely through associated functional limitation/disability (FL/D) remains the most widely accepted metric to assess whether increases in longevity have been accompanied by a compression of morbidity. Objective: To propose a departure from a highly restrictive FL/D-based definition of ‘‘morbidity’ ’ to a broader view that considers the burden of chronic diseases even when no overt FL/D occur. Design: We outline three reasons why the current framework of compression of morbidity should be broadened to also consider morbidity to be present even when there are no overtly measurable FL/D. We discuss various scenarios of morbidity compression and morbidity expansion under this broader rubric of morbidity. Conclusion: The rationale to go beyond a purely FL/D-based definition of morbidity includes: (1) substantial damage from chronic disease that can develop prior to overt FL/D symptoms occurring; (2) multiple costs to the individual and society that extend beyond FL/D, including medication costs, health care visits, and opportunity costs of lifelong treatment; and (3) psychosocial and stress burden of being labeled as diseased and the consequence for overall well-being. Adopting this broader definition of morbidity suggests that increases in longevity have been possibly accompanied by an expansion of morbidity, in contrast to Fries’ |
| File Format | |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
