Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Smith, DM; Brown, SL; Ubel, PA
Published in: Health economics, policy, and law
January 2008

There are a number of substantial problems with using decision-based utility measures such as the time trade off and standard gamble to value improvements in health. Dolan (this issue) argues that because of these problems, it would be better to use measures of real experiences (subjective well being). We review evidence that supports criticisms of decision-based utility measures, whether provided by patients or non-patients. But we also review a number of substantial problems with currently used measures of subjective well-being, and point out that there is no definitive evidence that they represent any improvement over decision utility measures. We conclude with a call for expanded research into developing new tools for quantifying health-related quality of life that are more valid, more sensitive to changes in health status, and less biased.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Health economics, policy, and law

DOI

EISSN

1744-134X

ISSN

1744-1331

Publication Date

January 2008

Volume

3

Issue

Pt 1

Start / End Page

85 / 91

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Quality-Adjusted Life Years
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • Humans
  • Health Status
  • Health Policy & Services
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 3801 Applied economics
  • 1801 Law
  • 1605 Policy and Administration
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Smith, D. M., Brown, S. L., & Ubel, P. A. (2008). Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures? Health Economics, Policy, and Law, 3(Pt 1), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1744133107004367
Smith, Dylan M., Stephanie L. Brown, and Peter A. Ubel. “Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures?Health Economics, Policy, and Law 3, no. Pt 1 (January 2008): 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1744133107004367.
Smith DM, Brown SL, Ubel PA. Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures? Health economics, policy, and law. 2008 Jan;3(Pt 1):85–91.
Smith, Dylan M., et al. “Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures?Health Economics, Policy, and Law, vol. 3, no. Pt 1, Jan. 2008, pp. 85–91. Epmc, doi:10.1017/s1744133107004367.
Smith DM, Brown SL, Ubel PA. Are subjective well-being measures any better than decision utility measures? Health economics, policy, and law. 2008 Jan;3(Pt 1):85–91.
Journal cover image

Published In

Health economics, policy, and law

DOI

EISSN

1744-134X

ISSN

1744-1331

Publication Date

January 2008

Volume

3

Issue

Pt 1

Start / End Page

85 / 91

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Quality-Adjusted Life Years
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • Humans
  • Health Status
  • Health Policy & Services
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 3801 Applied economics
  • 1801 Law
  • 1605 Policy and Administration