Objective To assess the characteristics and quality of cost utility analyses (CUA) related to otolaryngology within the CEA registry and to summarize their collective results. Methods All cost-utility analyses published between 1976 and 2011 contained in the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry (CEA Registry) were evaluated. Topics that fall within the care of an otolaryngologist were include...

The Maschler–Owen consistent value for non-transferable utility games is axiomatized, by means of a marginality axiom. JEL Classification: C7, D7

Decision-theoretic planning with nonlinear utility functions is important since decision makers are often risk-sensitive in high-stake planning situations. One-switch utility functions are an important class of nonlinear utility functions that can model decision makers whose decisions change with their wealth level. We study how to maximize the expected utility of a Markov decision problem for ...

OBJECTIVE Nonorganic hearing loss (NOHL) is a lack of consistency in audiological testing. Although NOHL is relatively rare, it is important to identify suspicious patients. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Stenger test and acoustic reflexes test (ART) in the evaluation of patients with suspicious of unilateral NOHL. STUDY DESIGN A prospective study Methods: In this st...

Economists often model choices as if decision-makers assign each option a scalar value variable, known as utility, and then select the option with the highest utility. It remains unclear whether as-if utility models describe real mental and neural steps in choice. Although choices alone cannot prove the existence of a utility stage, utility transformations are often taken to provide the most pa...

Recent literature in the last Maximum Entropy workshop introduced an analogy between cumulative probability distributions and normalized utility functions [1]. Based on this analogy, a utility density function can de defined as the derivative of a normalized utility function. A utility density function is non-negative and integrates to unity. These two properties of a utility density function f...

A theory of the Value/Utility of information and knowledge (K) is not really there. This would require a theory of the centrality of Goals in minds, and of the role of K relative to Goals and their dynamics. K value is a notion relative to Goal value. Inf/K is precisely a resource, a means and the value of means depends on the value of their possible functions and uses. The claim of this paper ...

Gambles are random variables that model possible changes in wealth. Classic decision theory transforms money into utility through a utility function and defines the value of a gamble as the expectation value of utility changes. Utility functions aim to capture individual psychological characteristics, but their generality limits predictive power. Expectation value maximizers are defined as rati...

A fundamental step in decision analysis is the accurate representation of the decision maker’s preferences. When the decision situation is deterministic, each alternative leads to a single prospect (consequence). A prospect may be characterized by one or more attributes, such as health state and wealth. A value function that ranks the prospects is sufficient to rank order the decision alternati...

The real options approach is used to explain discounted utility anomalies as artifacts of the optimizing behavior of an individual with standard preferences, who perceives the utility from consumption in the future as uncertain. For this individual, waiting is valuable because uncertainty is revealed over time. The fair price (or compensation) that the individual agrees to pay (or accept) today...