Dictionary

P

P-ScoreTermFrequentist SUCRA, Frequentist Ranking Probability

A frequentist network meta-analysis measure ranking treatments by the extent one is expected to outperform every other treatment in the network.

P-ValueConceptSignificance Probability, Observed Significance Level

A tail probability, calculated under a specified null hypothesis and statistical model, of obtaining a test statistic at least as extreme as the observed statistic according to the chosen test.

P-Value InterpretationTermInterpreting P-Values, P-Value Misreading

The process of correctly understanding what a p-value does and does not indicate, since it does not reflect the probability the null hypothesis is true.

Pacemaker EconomicsTermPacemaker Cost-Effectiveness, Cardiac Pacing Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to implantable pacemakers, weighing device and implant cost against improved quality of life for bradycardia.

Paediatric EconomicsTermChild Health Economics, Children's Health Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to the healthcare needs of infants, children, and adolescents, including preventive care and congenital conditions.

Paediatric ExclusivityTermPediatric Exclusivity, Paediatric Extension

An additional market exclusivity period granted for conducting requested paediatric studies of an already-approved product, incentivising paediatric-specific safety and efficacy data.

Paediatric Quality IndicatorTermPDI, Paediatric Quality Metric

A standardised measure assessing care quality specifically for paediatric patients, accounting for their distinct clinical conditions and care patterns.

Paediatric ResearchTermChild Research, Paediatric Clinical Study

Research involving children, subject to additional safeguards including parental permission alongside the child's own assent when developmentally appropriate.

Pain AssessmentTermPain Measurement, Pain Evaluation

The process of measuring the presence, severity, and characteristics of a patient's pain, typically using standardised, validated patient-reported instruments.

Pain IntensityTermPain Severity, Pain Level

A dimension of pain assessment capturing how severe a patient's pain feels, typically measured using a numerical rating or visual analogue scale.

Pain InterferenceTermPain-Related Interference, Functional Pain Impact

A dimension of pain assessment capturing how much pain disrupts a patient's daily activities, work, or social functioning, distinct from pain intensity.

Pain Management EconomicsTermPain Economics, Analgesic Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to acute and chronic pain strategies, comparing medication, interventional procedures, and multidisciplinary pain programmes.

Pain ScaleTermPain Rating Scale, Pain Measurement Scale

A standardised instrument quantifying the intensity or other characteristics of a patient's pain, from simple numerical ratings to detailed questionnaires.

Paired ComparisonTermPaired Preference, Pick-One-of-Two

A health state valuation method in which respondents are shown two states at a time and indicate which they prefer, building up a ranking.

Pairwise ComparisonTermTwo-Arm Comparison, Direct Head-to-Head

A comparison of exactly two interventions at a time, used as a building block within a fully incremental analysis of several options.

Pairwise DeletionConceptAvailable-Case Analysis, Pairwise Case Exclusion

A missing data method in which each specific calculation uses all observations with complete data for that particular pair of variables.

Pairwise Meta-AnalysisConceptStandard Meta-Analysis, Direct Meta-Analysis

Pairwise meta-analysis is the statistical pooling of trials of the same two treatments, such as head-to-head RCTs, into one estimate of relative effect.

Palliative CareTermEnd-of-Life Care, Serious-Illness Care

Specialised care relieving symptoms and stress of serious illness to improve quality of life, provided alongside or instead of curative treatment.

Palliative Care AccessTermHospice Access, End-of-Life Care Access

A measure of the extent to which patients with serious illness are able to obtain needed palliative symptom management and quality of life care.

Palliative Care EconomicsTermPalliative Economics, Palliative-Care Costing

The application of health economic evaluation to specialist care relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for serious illness, regardless of prognosis.

Palliative Care Economics OncologyTermOncology Palliative Economics, Cancer Palliative Care Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to palliative care within oncology, focused on symptom management and quality of life regardless of curative treatment status.

Palliative SedationTermContinuous Deep Sedation, Terminal Sedation

The use of sedative medications to relieve intractable suffering in a terminally ill patient when other measures have failed.

Palliative TherapyTermPalliative Treatment, Comfort-Focused Therapy

Treatment intended to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for serious or terminal illness, without aiming to cure the condition.

Pancreatitis EconomicsTermPancreatic Inflammation Economics, Pancreatitis Cost of Illness

The application of health economic evaluation to pancreatic inflammation, covering both acute episodes and chronic, recurring disease.

Pancreatology EconomicsTermPancreatic Economics, Pancreas Disease Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to the broader field of pancreatic disease, including pancreatitis, pancreatic insufficiency, and pancreatic cancer.

PandemicTermGlobal Epidemic, Worldwide Outbreak

An epidemic occurring over a very wide geographic area, typically spanning multiple countries or continents, affecting a substantial population proportion.

Pandemic CostTermCost of Pandemic, Pandemic Economic Burden

The total economic burden of a pandemic, covering direct healthcare costs, public health response spending, and broader economic disruption beyond health.

Pandemic ElasticityTermPandemic Demand Responsiveness, Crisis Elasticity

The responsiveness of healthcare demand, supply, or prices to changes in disease prevalence during a pandemic, measured using standard economic elasticity.

Pandemic PolicyTermPandemic Response Policy, Outbreak Policy

Government policy governing pandemic preparedness and response, covering surveillance systems, vaccine and treatment stockpiling, and coordinated public health protocols.

Pandemic Preparedness EconomicsTermPreparedness Economics, Pandemic Readiness Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to advance investments improving a health system's capacity to detect and respond to a future outbreak.

Panel DataTermCross-Sectional Time-Series Data, Longitudinal Panel

Data following the same individuals or units repeatedly over multiple time periods, combining features of both cross-sectional and time series data.

Panel DecisionTermCommittee Decision, HTA Committee Verdict

The formal conclusion reached by an expert panel or appraisal committee following its review and deliberation on an assessment question.

Paragraph Iv CertificationTermPara IV Certification, Patent Paragraph IV

A patent certification filed by a generic manufacturer asserting a listed patent is invalid or not infringed, initiating a process affecting generic entry timing.

Parallel AnalysisTermHorn Method, Factor Retention Analysis

A technique determining how many factors to retain in factor analysis by comparing observed eigenvalues against those expected from random data.

Parallel Group DesignTermParallel-Arm Trial, Parallel-Group Trial

A trial design randomly assigning participants to one of two or more groups, each receiving only one treatment throughout, with outcomes compared between groups.

Parameter DistributionConceptInput Distribution, PSA Distribution

A parameter distribution is a probability model for the plausible values of an uncertain model input, specified from evidence and assumptions so its uncertainty can be propagated through an analysis.

Parameter EstimationConceptEstimation of Parameters, Data-Driven Estimation

Parameter estimation is the process of using evidence and a specified model or estimating rule to infer the values of quantities needed to describe a population, relationship, or decision model.

Parameter ImportanceTermParameter Influence, Input Importance

A measure of how much a given input parameter contributes to the overall uncertainty in a model's results, used to prioritise further scrutiny.

Parameter InputConceptModel Parameter, Input Parameter, Model Input Value

A parameter input (model parameter) is a value or distribution entered into a health economic model for a quantity such as a probability, cost or utility.

Parameter StructureTermInput Organisation, Parameter Layout

The overall organisation of a model's inputs, including how parameters are grouped, labelled, and linked to the calculations that use them.

Parameter UncertaintyConceptInput Uncertainty, Sampling Uncertainty

Parameter uncertainty is uncertainty about the true values of quantities used as model inputs because those values are estimated from incomplete or imperfect evidence.

Parametric EstimationConceptParametric Fitting, Distribution-Based Estimation

A statistical approach estimating a survival function by assuming the data follow a specific distribution, such as Weibull or log-normal, with estimated parameters.

Parametric MethodsTermParametric Techniques, Distribution-Based Methods, Parametric Statistics

Statistical techniques assuming the underlying data follow a specific, defined probability distribution with a fixed number of parameters, such as normal or Weibull.

Parametric RegressionTermModel-Based Regression, Distributional Regression

A regression approach assuming a specific functional form and distributional assumptions linking predictors to an outcome, such as normally distributed errors.

Parametric SurvivalConceptDistribution-Based Survival, Assumed-Form Survival

Survival estimates derived from a fitted mathematical distribution rather than directly from observed data alone, allowing extrapolation beyond the data.

Parametric Survival ModelConceptParametric Time-to-Event Model, Survival Distribution Model

A parametric survival model specifies a probability distribution for time to a defined event, enabling estimation of survival and hazard functions and projection beyond observed follow-up under stated assumptions.

Parasitic Disease EconomicsTermParasite Disease Economics, Parasitology Economics

The application of health economic evaluation to diseases caused by parasitic organisms, spanning malaria through various helminth infections.

Parental PermissionTermParental Consent, Guardian Permission

The formal authorisation a parent or guardian provides for a minor to participate in research or receive treatment, alongside the child's own assent.

Pareto AnalysisTerm80/20 Analysis, Pareto Principle

A technique based on the principle that a small number of causes typically account for the majority of a problem's impact.

Pareto ChartTermPareto Diagram, 80/20 Chart

A bar chart displaying problem category frequency in descending order, combined with a cumulative percentage line, identifying which few account for most impact.