The influence of perspective on the valuation of the EQ-5D-Y-3L: a comparison using the OPUF tool and a discrete choice experiment

Background: The choice of perspective in valuation tasks is likely to affect the scale of EQ-5D-Y-3L value sets, but less is known about how it affects the relative importance of different dimensions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine how preferences for EQ-5D-Y-3L health states differ according to different perspectives utilising two methods: the Online elicitation of Personal Utility Functions (OPUF) tool and a discrete choice experiment (DCE).

Methods: An online survey was designed containing the OPUF tool and a DCE. Adult respondents from the United Kingdom were randomised to one of five different perspective arms: (1) 4-year-old child, (2) 10-year-old child, (3) a child of unspecified age, (4) another adult, and (5) own health. The resulting OPUF value sets (social utility functions), and relative importance scores for the five dimensions from both methods, were compared across perspectives.

Results: Results differed by perspective in both valuation tasks. In both tasks, ‘looking after myself’ was less important and ‘pain or discomfort’ was more important in the child perspectives than in the adult perspectives. Furthermore, the scale of the value sets produced by the OPUF tool differed by perspective, with the value of the worst health state being significantly lower in the adult perspectives than in the child perspectives.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the valuation of the EQ-5D-Y-3L is affected by the perspective that adult respondents are asked to take. Researchers should be aware of the potential impact and ensure that relevant stakeholders understand this when designing valuation studies.