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Multiattribute and single-attribute utility functions for the health utilities index mark 3 system
David Feeny1, William Furlong, George W Torrance
1Institute of Health Economics; Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. dfeeny@pharmarcy.ualberta.ca
Medical Care
|January 22, 2002
Summary
The Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) provides validated utility functions for health status measurement. This system accurately predicts health utility scores based on community preferences, aiding health outcome evaluations.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Psychometrics
- Outcomes Research
Background:
- The Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) is a widely used tool for measuring health status and quality of life.
- It comprises eight health attributes: vision, hearing, speech, ambulation, dexterity, emotion, cognition, and pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present multiattribute and single-attribute utility functions for the HUI3 system.
- These functions are based on preferences from the general population.
Main Methods:
- Two preference surveys were conducted: a modeling survey for function estimation and a direct survey for validity assessment.
- Preference measures included Feeling Thermometer scores and standard gamble utility scores.
- A random sample of adults (>=16 years) in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, participated.
Main Results:
- Estimates for eight single-attribute and one multiattribute utility functions were generated.
- The multiattribute HUI3 function demonstrated strong predictive validity, with an intraclass correlation of 0.88 compared to directly measured utility scores for 73 health states.
Conclusions:
- The HUI3 scoring function is theoretically sound and empirically validated.
- It accurately predicts directly measured utility scores, offering a practical method for obtaining utility values grounded in community preferences.