title: Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) demonstrated construct validity in a Nigerian population with hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study seeks to establish the construct validity of Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3)--a health state utility measure--in a Nigerian population of hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of hypertensive patients in two tertiary hospitals located in South-Eastern Nigeria. A priori hypotheses were tested to establish construct validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 384 participants were interviewed. Hypertensive patients with stroke or coronary heart disease (CHD) had a lower overall utility value compared to those with hypertension alone. There was a significant difference in group means of 0.53 (95 % confidence interval of 0.44-0.62); t = 11.8, p < 0.01, between participants that had hypertension alone and participants with hypertension and stroke. Also, there was a significant difference in group means of 0.44 (95 % confidence interval of 0.34-0.56); t = 8.2, p < 0.01, between participants that had hypertension alone and participants with hypertension and CHD. Generally, there was a significant health-related quality of life deficit among patients with severe clinical variables compared to those with milder clinical variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HUI3 demonstrated constructed validity among a population of Nigerian patients with high blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria. obinna.ekwunife@unn.edu.ng
authors.forename: Obinna Ikechukwu
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Ekwunife
authors.forename: Cletus Nze
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Aguwa
authors.forename: Nneka Uchenna
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Igboeli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires