Health preferences inform resource allocation decisions
around which treatments are recommended for use on the basis of their relative
cost-effectiveness. Typically generic preference-based measures of health that
can be applied across all conditions are used to generate quality adjusted life
years (QALYs) to inform cost-effectiveness analyses. The QALY combines both
quantity and quality of life by assigning a value to quality of life on a 0
(for states as bad as being dead) to 1 (for full health) scale where values
below 0 indicate that the state is worse than being dead. A generic
preference-based measure of health consists of: 1) a classification system that
is used to describe the health of a person and 2) a value set that generates a
utility value that reflects how good or bad people think living in the health
state would be.
Recent research has focused on widening the classification system used to
measure health to capture aspects beyond health to focus on dimensions such as
quality of life. This presents challenges for the methods used to elicit
utility values as well as around the scope of the QALY itself and its role in
informing cost-effectiveness analyses. This PhD will contribute to
methodological developments and understanding in the area of eliciting
preferences for states that combine both health and wellbeing and that may
contain a large number of both overlapping and independent dimensions. The
feasibility and appropriateness of different preference elicitation methods for use to value a widened classification
system have not been fully explored.
ScHARR - Regent Court
The PhD will
involve a literature review and primary research using a mixed methods approach
involving both qualitative and quantitative research. In particular, the PhD
will explore how discrete choice experiments (DCE) can be designed and
undertaken to meet the challenges raised through a widened classification
system including overlapping concepts and a large number of dimensions
(potentially beyond the number that can be considered all at the same by a
research participant). This will include both quantitative aspects of design
alongside qualitative exploration of how participants undertake the DCE tasks,
what influences their choices, and whether they understand the tasks. Towards
the end of the project an online survey will be used to determine the
feasibility of the use of DCE using a design building upon the findings from
the qualitative research. In year 2 the student will visit Professor Deborah
Street and Dr Richard Norman in Australia to collaborate around potential
options for the DCE design and analysis. Deborah Street and Richard Norman will
be advisers on the PhD project.
Aim of the research:
The PhD project will develop and assess discrete choice experiment (DCE)
methods to value a large classification system that combines both health and
wellbeing. The project will:
a) explore how discrete choice experiments (DCE) can be designed, framed,
undertaken and analysed to meet the challenges raised through both a widened
classification system including overlapping concepts of health and wellbeing
and a large number of dimensions (potentially beyond the number that can be
considered all at the same by a participant);
b) explore the anchoring of the DCE results onto the full health-dead 1-0 scale
required to be able to generate quality adjusted life years;
c) assess (using qualitative research) whether participants are able to
meaningfully complete and understand the proposed DCE tasks and that their
responses are not influenced by the design;
d) undertake an online survey to determine the feasibility of the use of DCE in
this context drawing on the qualitative work.
Entry Requirements:
Candidates must have a first or upper second class honors degree, and a Merit
at masters or significant research experience in relevant subjects, for example
economics, health economics or psychology.
How to apply:
Please complete a University Postgraduate Research Application form available
here: http://www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply
Please clearly state the title of the studentship and the names of the
supervisors, and select ScHARR as the department.
You will also need to include:
• a draft outline of your proposed PhD study, in line with the research
described above, of approximately 500 words
• a covering letter explaining why you wish to apply for this studentship.
• a copy of your CV.
Funding Notes
Funding includes home/EU tuition fees
paid for 3.5 years, with an annual stipend of £15,285 (UKRI rate) payable for
3.5 years (stipend paid at 50% for final year). There is also a Research
Support and Training Grant to support research costs.