Evidence map›Paper›PMID 17466068›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2007

Individual differences in the use of the response scale determine valuations of hypothetical health states: an empirical study.

Marie-Louise Essink-Bot, Marja C Stuifbergen, Willem-Jan Meerding, Caspar W N Looman, Gouke J Bonsel, VOTE group

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2007. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Preferences for health-related quality of life: do they vary by age? A systematic literature review on the EQ-5D measure.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. A note on the relationship between age and health-related quality of life assessment.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2019
    Article
  4. Article
  5. What should we know about the person behind a TTO?The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2018
    Article
  6. Time trade-off: one methodology, different methods.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2013
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Marie-Louise Essink-BotDepartment of Public Health, Erasmus MC/University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.essink-bot@erasmusmc.nl
Marja C Stuifbergen
Willem-Jan Meerding
Caspar W N Looman
Gouke J Bonsel
VOTE group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe effects of socio-demographic characteristics of the respondent, including age, on valuation scores of hypothetical health states remain inconclusive. Therefore, we analyzed data from a study designed to discriminate between the effects of respondents' age and time preference on valuations of health states to gain insight in the contribution of individual response patterns to the variance in valuation scores.

methodsA total of 212 respondents from three age groups valued the same six hypothetical health states using three different methods: a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and two variants of the Time trade-off (TTO). Analyses included a generalizability study, principal components analysis, and cluster analysis.

resultsValuation scores differed significantly, but not systematically, between valuation methods. A total of 36.8% of variance was explained by health states, 1.6% by the elicitation method, and 0.2% by age group. Individual differences in the use of the response scales (e.g. a tendency to give either high or low TTO scores, or a high or low scoring tendency on the VAS) were the main source of remaining variance. These response patterns were not related to age or other identifiable respondent characteristics.

conclusionIndividual response patterns in this study were more important determinants of TTO or VAS valuations of health states than age or other respondent characteristics measured. Further valuation research should focus on explaining individual response patterns as a possible key to understanding the determinants of health state valuations.

Indexed as

Attitude to HealthHealth StatusQuality-Adjusted Life YearsQuality of LifeValue of LifeAdultAge FactorsFemaleHumansLife ExpectancyMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsRisk AssessmentSocial ValuesSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID17466068
PMCPMC1868724

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.