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Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Vass, C; Boeri, M; Karim, S; Marshall, D; Craig, B; Ho, K-A; Mott, D; Ngorsuraches, S; Badawy, SM; Mühlbacher, A; Gonzalez, JM; Heidenreich, S
Published in: Value Health
May 2022

OBJECTIVES: Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are increasingly used to elicit preferences for health and healthcare. Although many applications assume preferences are homogenous, there is a growing portfolio of methods to understand both explained (because of observed factors) and unexplained (latent) heterogeneity. Nevertheless, the selection of analytical methods can be challenging and little guidance is available. This study aimed to determine the state of practice in accounting for preference heterogeneity in the analysis of health-related DCEs, including the views and experiences of health preference researchers and an overview of the tools that are commonly used to elicit preferences. METHODS: An online survey was developed and distributed among health preference researchers and nonhealth method experts, and a systematic review of the DCE literature in health was undertaken to explore the analytical methods used and summarize trends. RESULTS: Most respondents (n = 59 of 70, 84%) agreed that accounting for preference heterogeneity provides a richer understanding of the data. Nevertheless, there was disagreement on how to account for heterogeneity; most (n = 60, 85%) stated that more guidance was needed. Notably, the majority (n = 41, 58%) raised concern about the increasing complexity of analytical methods. Of the 342 studies included in the review, half (n = 175, 51%) used a mixed logit with continuous distributions for the parameters, and a third (n = 110, 32%) used a latent class model. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is agreement about the importance of accounting for preference heterogeneity, there are noticeable disagreements and concerns about best practices, resulting in a clear need for further analytical guidance.

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Published In

Value Health

DOI

EISSN

1524-4733

Publication Date

May 2022

Volume

25

Issue

5

Start / End Page

685 / 694

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Research Design
  • Public Opinion
  • Latent Class Analysis
  • Humans
  • Health Policy & Services
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Choice Behavior
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3801 Applied economics
 

Citation

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Vass, C., Boeri, M., Karim, S., Marshall, D., Craig, B., Ho, K.-A., … Heidenreich, S. (2022). Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report. Value Health, 25(5), 685–694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2022.01.012
Vass, Caroline, Marco Boeri, Suzanna Karim, Deborah Marshall, Ben Craig, Kerrie-Anne Ho, David Mott, et al. “Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report.Value Health 25, no. 5 (May 2022): 685–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2022.01.012.
Vass C, Boeri M, Karim S, Marshall D, Craig B, Ho K-A, et al. Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report. Value Health. 2022 May;25(5):685–94.
Vass, Caroline, et al. “Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report.Value Health, vol. 25, no. 5, May 2022, pp. 685–94. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jval.2022.01.012.
Vass C, Boeri M, Karim S, Marshall D, Craig B, Ho K-A, Mott D, Ngorsuraches S, Badawy SM, Mühlbacher A, Gonzalez JM, Heidenreich S. Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Discrete-Choice Experiments: An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report. Value Health. 2022 May;25(5):685–694.
Journal cover image

Published In

Value Health

DOI

EISSN

1524-4733

Publication Date

May 2022

Volume

25

Issue

5

Start / End Page

685 / 694

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Research Design
  • Public Opinion
  • Latent Class Analysis
  • Humans
  • Health Policy & Services
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Choice Behavior
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3801 Applied economics