Health state valuations from the general public using the visual analogue scale

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Social Science Research
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Clinical and economic evaluations require a public perspective for benefit assessment.
• Quantifying patient benefit necessitates a standardized method for valuing health states.
• A 'social tariff' can provide a basis for these valuations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish relative valuations for different health states.
• To form the basis for a 'social tariff' in healthcare.
• To quantify patient benefit from a public perspective.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 3,395 interviews with a representative British adult sample.
• Utilized the EuroQol classification and visual analogue scale (VAS) to value 45 health states.
• Assessed test-retest reliability with 221 re-interviews (ICC = 0.78).

Main Results:

• Generated a consistent VAS dataset with good reliability.
• Identified significant effects of social class and education on health state valuations.
• Observed higher valuations for more severe states among lower social classes and less educated groups.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a foundation for a social tariff based on public valuations.
• Social class and education significantly influence perceived value of health states.
• Further consideration is needed regarding VAS methodology and tariff stratification.