Quality of life valuations of mammography screening.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain quality-of-life (QOL) valuations associated with mammography screening and breast cancer treatment that are suitable for use in cost-effectiveness analyses.


METHODS
Subjects comprised 131 women (age range 50-79 years) randomly sampled from a breast cancer screening program. In an in-person or telephone interview, women rated the QOL impact of 14 clinical scenarios (ranging from mammography to end-of-life care for breast cancer) using a visual analogue scale anchored by death (0) and perfect health/quality of life (100).


RESULTS
Women rated the scenarios describing true negative results, false positive results, and routine screening mammography at 80 or above on a scale of 0-100, suggesting that they perceive these states as being close to perfect health. They rated adjuvant chemotherapy (39.7; range 10-90), palliation/end-of-life care (35.8; range 0-100), and recurrence at 1 year (33.0; range 0-95) the lowest, suggesting that these health states are perceived as compromised. Women rated receiving news of a breast cancer diagnosis (true positive) (45.7; range 5-100) and receiving delayed news of a breast cancer diagnosis (false negative) (48.5; range 5-100) as being comparable to undergoing mastectomy (48.3; range 10-100) and radiation therapy (46.2; range 5-100) for breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
These data can be used to update cost analyses of mammography screening that wish to take into account the QOL impact of screening.
Bonomi
Amy E
AE
Human Development and Family Science, The Ohio State University, 135 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. bonomi.1@osu.edu
Boudreau
Denise M
DM
Fishman
Paul A
PA
Ludman
Evette
E
Mohelnitzky
Amy
A
Cannon
Elizabeth A
EA
Seger
Deb
D
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires