Understanding the relationship between health risks and health-related costs.

Dr. Anderson reflects on the lack of consistency in studies on the relationship between health risks and medical costs. Part of the inconsistency is caused by differences in risk assessment instruments, but a more important concern is lack of clear conceptualization and statement of research goals. One reason for exploring this relationship is to be able to predict health care costs accurately: a very different reason is to identify causal variables, the modification of which will have an impact on costs.