Craig Benjamin Matthew, Rivero-Arias Oliver, Devlin Nancy, Verstraete Janine
Economics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
BMJ Open. 2025 Jul 8;15(7):e100897. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100897.
The experimental EuroQol Toddler and Infant Populations (EQ-TIPS) instrument is currently under development as a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure for toddlers and infants aged 0-36 months. Using this protocol, researchers can conduct surveys with discrete choice experiments (DCEs) that examine the key properties of HRQoL instruments, specifically whether severity aligns with preferences across each attribute and the extent to which attributes influence choices. To demonstrate this protocol, we will conduct two waves of DCE surveys using different choice tasks and a common scenario (a 1-month health episode for a 1-year-old child).
In the first wave (a general population sample of 400 Australian adults; 14 kaizen tasks each), respondents will view a single EQ-TIPS-five-level (v3.0) profile for each task and be asked to make a series of choices that sequentially alleviate the child's health problems. Using this exploratory evidence, we will assess whether EQ-TIPS severity aligns with preferences and the extent to which each attribute level influences choices (ie, main effects). In the second wave (1000 Australian adults; 28 paired comparisons), respondents will see two EQ-TIPS profiles for each task and be asked to choose between them. Using this confirmatory evidence, we will compare the main effects and their uncertainty by wave. For each DCE, we will estimate a main-effects conditional logit model and test for differences in effects using cluster bootstrap techniques. As sensitivity analyses, we will evaluate the effects of task sequence, attribute order and sample size on uncertainty in each wave.
The independent review board at Includovate evaluated the application for ethical clearance and approved the study on 19 February 2025. To disseminate our findings, we will prepare multiple manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present highlights at scientific meetings, such as the EuroQol Plenary Meeting and the International Academy of Health Preference Research.
实验性的欧洲生活质量量表婴幼儿版（EQ-TIPS）工具目前正在开发中，作为衡量0至36个月婴幼儿健康相关生活质量（HRQoL）的指标。通过本方案，研究人员可以进行离散选择实验（DCE）调查，以检验HRQoL工具的关键特性，特别是严重程度是否与每个属性的偏好一致，以及属性对选择的影响程度。为了演示本方案，我们将使用不同的选择任务和一个常见场景（一名1岁儿童的1个月健康事件）进行两波DCE调查。
在第一波调查中（400名澳大利亚成年人的普通人群样本；每个样本有14个改善任务），受访者将查看每个任务的单个EQ-TIPS五级（v3.0）概况，并被要求做出一系列选择，以逐步缓解儿童的健康问题。利用这些探索性证据，我们将评估EQ-TIPS严重程度是否与偏好一致，以及每个属性水平对选择的影响程度（即主效应）。在第二波调查中（1000名澳大利亚成年人；28对比较），受访者将看到每个任务的两个EQ-TIPS概况，并被要求在它们之间进行选择。利用这些验证性证据，我们将按波次比较主效应及其不确定性。对于每个DCE，我们将估计一个主效应条件逻辑模型，并使用聚类自举技术检验效应差异。作为敏感性分析，我们将评估任务顺序、属性顺序和样本量对每一波不确定性的影响。
Includovate的独立审查委员会评估了伦理批准申请，并于2025年2月19日批准了该研究。为了传播我们的研究结果，我们将准备多篇稿件在同行评审期刊上发表，并在科学会议上展示亮点，如欧洲生活质量量表全体会议和国际健康偏好研究学会。
