Outcomes Research in Animal Health Care

This is the first book on outcomes research (OR) in animal health care, published at a time when OR is increasingly recognized in veterinary medicine. OR is an interdisciplinary field of research that evaluates the results of healthcare interventions regarding their effects relevant for patients and animal care takers.

Serving as an easy to read and comprehensive reference, this volume describes the primary areas of OR in detail. It starts with a concise overview of its outstanding development in human medicine and the current situation in animal health care for pets and livestock. The second part offers the key tools used in OR including prospective and retrospective studies and meta-analyses, illustrated with real-world examples from veterinary medicine. The following part is committed to health economic studies, the ultimate use of OR data. All relevant analyses are carefully described and explained, focusing on cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, being the most relevant analysis in livestock and companion animals. The last part is dedicated to QoL and animal welfare metrics. It outlines the current situation in veterinary medicine, covering available instruments to assess QoL in animals, their advantages, and potential pitfalls. The book concludes with presenting the groundbreaking tools from human medicine, i.e., the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), along with early efforts to adapt these concepts to animal health care.

The multidisciplinary content addresses a broad audience, including students, veterinary practitioners, researchers, industry professionals, livestock producers, and policymakers. Further, scientists interested in QoL in animals or the development of QoL questionnaires will find helpful guidance. No specialized background in economics, epidemiology, or statistics is required.