title: Comparison of EQ-5D and SF-6D utilities in mental health patients.
abstract: Various preference-based measures of health are available for use as an outcome measure in cost-utility analysis. The aim of this study is to compare two such measures EQ-5D and SF-6D in mental health patients. Baseline data from a Dutch multi-centre randomised trial of 616 patients with mood and/or anxiety disorders were used. Mean and median EQ-5D and SF-6D utilities were compared, both in the total sample and between severity subgroups based on quartiles of SCL-90 scores. Utilities were expected to decline with increased severity. Both EQ-5D and SF-6D utilities differed significantly between patients of adjacent severity groups. Mean utilities increased from 0.51 at baseline to 0.68 at 1.5 years follow-up for EQ-5D and from 0.58 to 0.70 for SF-6D. For all severity subgroups, the mean change in EQ-5D utilities as well as in SF-6D utilities was statistically significant. Standardised response means were higher for SF-6D utilities. We concluded that both EQ-5D and SF-6D discriminated between severity subgroups and captured improvements in health over time. However, the use of EQ-5D resulted in larger health gains and consequent lower cost-utility ratios, especially for the subgroup with the highest severity of mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Technology Assessment bv, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. l.lamers@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lamers
authors.forename: C A M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bouwmans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Straten
authors.forename: M C H
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Donker
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hakkaart
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009426:Netherlands; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*