The 'utility' of the visual analog scale in medical decision making and technology assessment. Is it an alternative to the time trade-off?
Methods often used for the valuation of health states are the time trade-off (TTO) and the visual analog scale (VAS). The VAS is easier than the TTO and can be self-administered; however it usually leads to lower scores. In the literature a power transformation of group mean VAS scores to TTO scores has been proposed. We were able to replicate this finding of a power function. We found coefficients that were very similar to those from the literature, for 183 cancer patients. The relationship existed independently of disease state and health status.
Stiggelbout
A M
AM
Medical Decision Making Unit, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
Eijkemans
M J
MJ
Kiebert
G M
GM
Kievit
J
J
Leer
J W
JW
De Haes
H J
HJ
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy