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The use of confidence intervals for individual utilities: limits to formal decision analysis for treatment choice

The use of confidence intervals for individual utilities: limits to formal decision analysis for treatment choice

Authors :
Marinus J.C. Eijkemans
Peter C. Levendag
Frits H.J. Roest
Jos Van Der Donk
J. Dik F. Habbema
Cees A. Meeuwis
Paul I.M. Schmitz
Public Health
Radiation Oncology
Erasmus MC other
Epidemiology
Source :
Medical Decision Making, 17, 285-291. SAGE Publishing
Publication Year :
1997
Publisher :
SAGE Publishing, 1997.

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of confidence intervals for utility measurements. Classic test theory is applied to estimate confidence intervals for utilities. The theory is enhanced to calculate confidence areas for combined utilities and confidence bands for the threshold line. As an example it is shown that, if confidence intervals are taken into account, the implied preferred treatment of T3-larynx carcinoma patients is uncertain for a wide range of utilities, considering the mediocre reliability of most methods of utility assessment. This implies that although utility measurement and formal decision analysis can be a useful way to look at the decision problem, ambiguity, which must be resolved by other means, will often remain. Key words: utility theory; utility measurement; confidence intervals. (Med Decis Making 1997;17:285-291)

Details

ISSN :
1552681X and 0272989X
Volume :
17
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Medical Decision Making
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....f3906fd74d8c98107d708568752a8868
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X9701700304