title: A review and critique of studies reporting utility values for schizophrenia-related health states.
abstract: Economic evaluation of health technologies in the form of cost-utility analysis is increasingly advocated. The most common outcome measure in this type of analysis is the QALY. In order to estimate QALYs, appropriate utility values are required. The objective of this review was to identify and critique utility values for schizophrenia-related health states. A critical appraisal was performed on utility values for schizophrenia identified in the systematic literature review that informed the economic analysis of the updated edition of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline on schizophrenia for England and Wales. Seven studies reporting utility values for schizophrenia were identified. The studies employed a variety of methods for generating utility values. None of the reported sets of utility values for schizophrenia were generated using the EQ-5D, which is a measure widely used in cost-utility analysis and preferred by NICE. Nevertheless, the EQ-5D may be less sensitive in capturing aspects of health-related quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. A condition-specific preference-based instrument may be more appropriate than a generic measure to inform cost-utility analyses of interventions for schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK. i.mavranezouli@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ifigeneia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mavranezouli
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*