Abstract
BackgroundThe KIDSCREEN-10 index and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) are two recently developed generic instruments for the measurement of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents. Whilst the CHU9D is a preference based instrument developed specifically for application in cost-utility analyses, the KIDSCREEN-10 is not currently suitable for application in this context. This paper provides an algorithm for mapping the KIDSCREEN-10 index onto the CHU9D utility scores.MethodsA sample of 590 Australian adolescents (aged 11–17) completed both the KIDSCREEN-10 and the CHU9D. Several econometric models were estimated, including ordinary least squares estimator, censored least absolute deviations estimator, robust MM-estimator and generalised linear model, using a range of explanatory variables with KIDSCREEN-10 items scores as key predictors. The predictive performance of each model was judged using mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE).ResultsThe MM-estimator with stepwise-selected KIDSCREEN-10 items scores as explanatory variables had the best predictive accuracy using MAE, whilst the equivalent ordinary least squares model had the best predictive accuracy using RMSE.ConclusionsThe preferred mapping algorithm (i.e. the MM-estimate with stepwise selected KIDSCREEN-10 item scores as the predictors) can be used to predict CHU9D utility from KIDSCREEN-10 index with a high degree of accuracy. The algorithm may be usefully applied within cost-utility analyses to generate cost per quality adjusted life year estimates where KIDSCREEN-10 data only are available.
Highlights
The KIDSCREEN-10 index and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) are two recently developed generic instruments for the measurement of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents
The calculation of KIDSCREEN-10 index involve three steps: firstly, a raw overall score is summed by adding each item score with equal weight; secondly, the sum scores are converted to a score by assigning Rasch person parameters to each possible sum score; and lastly, the person parameters are transformed into values with a mean of approximately 50 and standard deviation approximately 10 [12]
The CHU9D utility score is non-normally distributed while the KIDSCREEN-10 index tends towards a normally distribution
Summary
The KIDSCREEN-10 index and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) are two recently developed generic instruments for the measurement of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents. Whilst the CHU9D is a preference based instrument developed for application in cost-utility analyses, the KIDSCREEN-10 is not currently suitable for application in this context. The majority of HRQoL instruments developed for children and adolescent populations are not suitable for application within the framework of costutility analysis because they are non-preference based. One of the most prevalent non-preference based instruments, widely used in both public health and clinical medicine disciplines across countries, is the KIDSCREEN [5,6,7,8]. A valid instrument that can be used to generate QALYs in cost-utility analyses needs to have the ability to ‘measure’ health status and the ability to ‘value’ health status by incorporating preferences relating to the relative desirability of the dimensions and severity levels of each of the dimensions included in the instrument
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