title: Can capabilities be self-reported? A think aloud study.
abstract: Direct assessment of capability to function may be useful in healthcare settings, but poses many challenges. This paper reports a first investigation of the feasibility of individuals self-reporting their capabilities and the meaning of the responses. The study was conducted in 2010, using think-aloud interviews with participants in the UK. The findings of the study suggest that the majority of participants were able to comprehend questions about their capabilities, felt able to judge their own capability wellbeing and provided responses in line with this judgement. In a number of cases, for example in relation to 'autonomy', participants highlighted that their capability was potentially greater than their functioning. The findings also show varying interpretations of the capability concept, with some participants finding the capability concept unintuitive in relation to specific aspects of life (in particular, 'attachment'). The findings suggest that guiding individuals in the process of identifying their capabilities may be important in generating consistent responses to capability questions.
authors: Health Economics Unit, University of Birmingham, UK. h.aljanabi@bham.ac.uk
authors: Hareth
authors: H
authors: Al-Janabi
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Keeley
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Mitchell
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Coast
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D057566:Self Report; D006113:United Kingdom
references: Qual Life Res. 2012 Feb;21(1):167-76
references: 21598064
references: Soc Sci Med. 1999 Jun;48(11):1507-15
references: 10400253
references: Am J Psychol. 2000 Fall;113(3):387-404
references: 10997234
references: Health Policy. 1996 Jul;37(1):53-72
references: 10158943
references: J Epidemiol Community Health. 1993 Apr;47(2):158-62
references: 8326276
references: Am J Public Health. 2010 Jan;100(1):41-9
references: 19965570
references: Qual Life Res. 2003 May;12(3):229-38
references: 12769135
references: Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010 May;7(5):2274-89
references: 20623024
references: Soc Sci Med. 2008 Sep;67(5):874-82
references: 18572295
references: Soc Sci Med. 2008 Oct;67(7):1190-8
references: 18657346
references: J Med Ethics. 2005 May;31(5):299-303
references: 15863692
references: Soc Sci Med. 2005 Jan;60(2):237-46
references: 15522481
references: J Health Serv Res Policy. 2012 Apr;17(2):70-8
references: 21967821
references: Soc Sci Med. 2002 Jan;54(1):11-21
references: 11820675
references: Soc Sci Med. 2002 Dec;55(12):2149-58
references: 12409128
references: BMJ. 2002 Apr 13;324(7342):860-1
references: 11950717
references: Health Econ. 2009 Mar;18(3):321-36
references: 18651601
references: Soc Sci Med. 1997 Jul;45(2):221-30
references: 9225410
references: Soc Sci Med. 2006 Apr;62(8):1891-901
references: 16168542
references: Health Care Anal. 2008 Dec;16(4):303-14
references: 17922192
references: Qual Life Res. 2012 Jun;21(5):801-12
references: 21894489
references: Ann Fam Med. 2010 Sep-Oct;8(5):454-60
references: 20843888
references: Soc Sci Med. 2007 Sep;65(5):868-79
references: 17499900
references: Biometrics. 1977 Mar;33(1):159-74
references: 843571
references: Qual Life Res. 2008 May;17(4):549-58
references: 18389384
references: Health Econ. 2010 Mar;19(3):280-96
references: 19301348
references: Health Econ. 2005 Aug;14(8):817-29
references: 15693028