In cost-utility analysis, which outcome measure is typically used?

In cost-utility analysis, which outcome measure is typically used?

• A. Natural units
• B. Life-years gained
• C. Quality-adjusted life years
• D. Incidence rate

Answer: (C)

Cost-utility analysis uses a measure that combines how long a person lives with how well they live in that time. The standard metric is quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), where one year in perfect health equals one QALY. If a health state isn’t perfect, it’s assigned a utility between 0 and 1, and the time spent in that state is weighted by that utility. This allows comparing diverse interventions on a common scale that reflects both survival and quality of life, using utilities gathered from preference-based instruments like EQ-5D, HUI, or SF-6D and methods such as time trade-off or standard gamble. Natural units, life-years gained, and incidence rates are used in other types of analyses, but they don’t capture quality of life in a single, comparable metric the way QALYs do.

Cost-utility analysis uses a measure that combines how long a person lives with how well they live in that time. The standard metric is quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), where one year in perfect health equals one QALY. If a health state isn’t perfect, it’s assigned a utility between 0 and 1, and the time spent in that state is weighted by that utility. This allows comparing diverse interventions on a common scale that reflects both survival and quality of life, using utilities gathered from preference-based instruments like EQ-5D, HUI, or SF-6D and methods such as time trade-off or standard gamble. Natural units, life-years gained, and incidence rates are used in other types of analyses, but they don’t capture quality of life in a single, comparable metric the way QALYs do.