A Thyroid-Cancer-Specific Utility Index: Development and Valuation of the Thyroid Cancer Quality of Life Index
Authors' conclusion
TCQOLI is a psychometrically robust, thyroid-cancer-specific, preference-based measure with patient-anchored valuation, suitable for health-economic evaluations. This concise index supports comparative-effectiveness research in thyroid cancer and informs resource allocation across clinical and policy settings.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with thyroid cancer3 phases
- Outcome
- Agreement of 9-domain additive multiattribute utility theory index with direct VAS
Methodological detailsmulticenter, multiphase, mixed-method
- Multicenter
- Multiphase
- Mixed-method
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Pearson r with direct visual analog scales (VAS)
≈ 0.74-0.75
Mean absolute error (MAE)/overall standard deviation (OSD) after standard gamble (SG) mapping
0.045/0.095
Intraclass correlation (ICC) (good to excellent)
0.74
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Instrument development and psychometrics
- Candidate domains finalized; primary instrument uses 9 domains (reproduction concern excluded)
- 10
- Instrument-level ceiling effect
- 3.8%
- Floor effect
- none
- Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a general health-related quality of life (HRQoL) factor plus a voice/swallow factor with acceptable composite reliability and model fit
Phase sample sizes
- Cognitive interviews
- 50
- Psychometric survey
- 163
- Valuation sample
- 103
Original publication
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