Advanced Search
MyIDEAS: Login

Populating an economic model with health state utility values: moving towards better practice

Contents:

Author Info

  • Ara, Roberta
  • Brazier, John
Registered author(s):

    Abstract

    Background: When estimating health state utility values (HSUV) for multiple health conditions, the alternative models used to combine these data can produce very different values. Results generated using a baseline of perfect health are not comparable with those generated using a baseline adjusted for not having the health condition taking into account age and gender. Despite this, there is no guidance on the preferred techniques that should be used and very little research describing the effect on cost per QALY results. Methods: Using a cardiovascular disease (CVD) model and cost per QALY thresholds, we assess the consequence of using different baseline health state utility profiles (perfect health, individuals with no history of CVD, general population) in conjunction with three models (minimum, additive, multiplicative) frequently used to estimate proxy scores for multiple health conditions. Results: Assuming a baseline of perfect health ignores the natural decline in quality of life associated with co-morbidities, over-estimating the benefits of treatment to such an extent it could potentially influence a threshold policy decision. The minimum model biases results in favour of younger aged cohorts, while the additive and multiplicative technique produces similar results. Although further research in additional health conditions is required to support our findings, this pilot study highlights the urgent need for analysts to conform to an agreed reference case and provides initial recommendations for better practice. We demonstrate that in CVD, if data are not available from individuals without the health condition, HSUVs from the general population provide a reasonable approximation.

    Download Info

    If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
    File URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/29896/
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no

    Bibliographic Info

    Paper provided by University Library of Munich, Germany in its series MPRA Paper with number 29896.

    as in new window
    Length:
    Date of creation: 2009
    Date of revision:
    Publication status: Published in Value in Health 5.13(2010): pp. 509-518
    Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:29896

    Contact details of provider:
    Postal: Schackstr. 4, D-80539 Munich, Germany
    Phone: +49-(0)89-2180-2219
    Fax: +49-(0)89-2180-3900
    Web page: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de
    More information through EDIRC

    Related research

    Keywords: health-state utility; health economics methods; methodology; decision models; health surveys;

    Find related papers by JEL classification:

    References

    No references listed on IDEAS
    You can help add them by filling out this form.

    Citations

    Lists

    This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:29896

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Ekkehart Schlicht).

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.

    If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.