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Unstable Preferences:

Author

Listed:
  • Sylvia J.T. Jansen
  • Anne M. Stiggelbout
  • Peter P. Wakker
  • Marianne A. Nooij
  • Evert M. Noordijk
  • Job Kievit

Abstract

Objective. Many studies suggest that impaired health states are valued more positively when experienced than when hypothetical. This study investigated to what extent this discrepancy occurs and examined four possible explanations: non-corresponding description of the hypothetical health state, new understanding due to experience with the health state, valuation shift due to a new status quo, and instability of preference. Patients and methods. Fifty-five breast cancer patients evaluated their actually experienced health state, a radiotherapy scenario, and a chemotherapy control scenario before, during, and after postoperative radiotherapy. Utilities were elicited by means of a visual analog scale (VAS), a chained time tradeoff (TTO), and a chained standard gamble (SG). Results. The discrepancy was found for all methods and was statistically significant for the TTO (predicted utilities: 0.89, actual utilities: 0.92, p ≤ 0.05). During radiotherapy, significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were found between the utilities for the radiotherapy scenario and the actual health state by means of the VAS and the SG, suggesting non-corresponding description as an explanation. The utilities of the radiotherapy scenario and the chemotherapy control scenario remained stable over time, and thus new understanding, valuation shift, and instability could be ruled out as explanations. Conclusion . Utilities obtained through hypothetical scenarios may not be valid predictors of the value judgments of actually experienced health states. The discrepancy in this study seems to have been due to differences between the situations in question (non-corresponding descriptions). Key words: stability; utility assessment; standard gamble; time tradeoff; breast cancer; chemotherapy; radiotherapy. (Med Decis Making 2000;20:62-71)

Suggested Citation

  • Sylvia J.T. Jansen & Anne M. Stiggelbout & Peter P. Wakker & Marianne A. Nooij & Evert M. Noordijk & Job Kievit, 2000. "Unstable Preferences:," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 20(1), pages 62-71, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:medema:v:20:y:2000:i:1:p:62-71
    DOI: 10.1177/0272989X0002000108
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnston, Katharine & Brown, Jackie & Gerard, Karen & O'Hanlon, Moira & Morton, Alison, 1998. "Valuing temporary and chronic health states associated with breast screening," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 213-222, July.
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