Revised SF-6D Scoring Programmes: a Summary of Improvements John E. Brazier1, PhD| Donna Rowen1, PhD| Janel Hanmer2, PhD	PDF File
1Health Economics and Decision Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom 2Population Health Sciences, Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States of America

Abstract

The SF-6D provides a means for using the SF-36 and SF-12 in economic evaluation by estimating a preference-based single index measure for health from these data using general population values. The SF-6D scoring programmes have been revised primarily to more accurately deal with missing SF-36/SF-12 item level data. The original and revised SF-6D scoring programmes are used on a dataset with seven patient groups to examine potential differences in computed SF-6D score. Further scoring programmes have been added using a set of non-parametric Bayesian preference weights.

The SF-6D provides a means for using the SF-36 and SF-12 in economic evaluation by estimating a preference-based single index measure for health from these data using general population values. The SF-6D allows the analyst to obtain quality adjusted life years (QALYs) from the SF-361 and SF-122 for use in cost utility analysis. The SF-6D is a classification for describing health derived from a selection of SF-36 items and is composed of six multi-level dimensions: physical functioning, role limitations, social functioning, pain, mental health and vitality.

The SF-6D scoring programmes have recently been revised primarily in order to more accurately deal with missing SF-36/SF-12 item level data. Table 1 summarises the issues raised by the revisions, the decisions implemented in the scoring programmes and the benefit to the user.

The original and revised SF-6D scoring programmes have been used on a dataset with seven patient groups to examine potential differences in the computed SF-6D score. The dataset consists of 2983 cases of self-reported SF-36 created using eight patient group datasets collected in various studies undertaken at the University of Sheffield, UK3.