title: Should linking replace regression when mapping from profile-based measures to preference-based measures?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Profile instruments are frequently used to assess health-related quality of life and other patient-reported outcomes. However, preference-based measures are required for health-economic cost-utility evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although regression-based approaches are commonly used to map from profile measures to preference measures, we show that this results in biased estimates because of regression to the mean.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Linking (scale-aligning) is proposed as an alternative.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: p.fayers@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Fayers
authors.affiliation: UCLA Department of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ron D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012107:Research Design; D057566:Self Report
keywords: linking values; mapping functions; patient-reported outcomes; preference-based measures; profile instruments; scale-aligning; test equating