Download or read book Costs and Benefits in Health Care and Prevention written by U. Laaser and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the main purposes of medical cost-benefit analyses is to define the rational priorities in health care. This book ambitiously undertakes to compare the cost-benefit analyses of three countries: the United States, Germany and Israel. Cardiovascular disease is focused on to provide a model case study, but other areas also provide examples. The contribu- tions consider in particular two recent developments. These are the increase in comprehensive epidemiological data, es- pecially with regards to risk factors, and improved methodo- logy for measuring the quality of life. The contributions stem from clinicians, epidemiologists and health economists who give an overall picture of these complex issues and the prospects for the future.