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The development of algorithms to translate disease-specific or generic health outcomes into utility values has considerably increased over the last decade. The list of algorithms is extensive and more than one technique is often available to estimate utility values for a particular health-related quality of life (HRQL) measurement. Reliable and accurate mapping techniques that translate HRQL data into EQ-5D utility values are now in demand by users worldwide. This demand is explained partly by the Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal  published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). These recommend that quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) are calculated using EQ-5D utility weights and also state that when information from the EQ-5D instrument is not present, validated mapping algorithms can be used to translate the available information into EQ-5D utility values. Recently, we have documented all published studies estimating mapping algorithms to the EQ-5D questionnaire in a database that is updated every 6 months.

HERC has a long-standing interest in mapping methodology and we are one of the pioneers in the development of the “response mapping” method. Response mapping translates responses on disease-specific or generic questionnaires into EQ-5D data by estimating participants’ EQ-5D responses rather than utility values. The use of response mapping methods in the literature has increased significantly as recently presented at the iHEA conference. As part of our commitments to facilitate implementation of our response mapping approaches, we have developed user friendly commands in Stata; a list of the commands available can be found on the downloads page.

Completed mapping studies:

Gray, A. M., Rivero-Arias, O. and Clarke, P. M. (2006). Estimating the association between SF-12 responses and EQ-5D utility values by response mapping. Medical Decision Making; 26(1): 18-29. Supporting material to download

Rivero-Arias, O., Ouellet, M., Gray, A., Wolstenholme, J., Rothwell, P. M. and Luengo-Fernandez, R. (2010).Mapping the modified Rankin scale (mRS) measurement into the generic EuroQol (EQ-5D) health outcome. Med Decis Making; 30(3): 341-354. Supporting material to download

Dakin H., Gray, A., and Murray, D. (2013):  Mapping analyses to estimate EQ-5D utilities and responses based on Oxford Knee Score. Qual Life Res, 22(3):683-94. Supporting material to download

Dakin H., Petrou S., Haggard M., Benge, S. and Williamson, I. (2010): Mapping analyses to estimate health utilities based on responses to the OM8-30 Otitis Media Questionnaire. Qual Life Res, 19(1):65-80.

Mapping studies in progress:

  • Estimating the association between SF-12 responses to EQ-5D utility values: a comparison of methods.
  • Mapping the Oxford hip score onto the EQ-5D utility index.
  • Mapping algorithms from the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire to EQ-5D: a comparison of methods.
  • Mapping between vision measures and MacDQoL in macular degeneration.