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Psychometric properties of the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 system in paediatric oncology patients

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Abstract

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Health Utilities Index (HUI) Mark 2 system, a health-related quality of life (QoL) instrument, in children with cancer. The sample consisted of 61 mothers of paediatric oncology patients, aged 4.1–17.3 years, who were either on treatment (n = 20) or off treatment (n = 41). The test-retest reliability was very good for the HUI Mark 2 system global score and all of its dimensions except pain. The HUI Mark 2 dimensions of emotion, pain and self-care as well as its overall score showed moderate convergent validity with other measures. In addition, the HUI Mark 2 system demonstrated good discriminant validity. However, the content validity of the HUI Mark 2 system when considered as a multiattribute descriptive health profile is questionable because it fails to assess domains such as neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning. Overall, the results indicate that the HUI Mark 2 system is reliable and valid as a measure of health-related QoL for paediatric oncology patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie Cognitive et de Neuropsychiatrie, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital Ste-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    J. G. Trudel & P. Robaey

  2. Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    M. Rivard

  3. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Montreal General Hospital and McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    P. L. Dobkin

  4. Département de Pédiatrie, Service d'Hématologie-Oncologie, Hôpital Ste-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    J.-M. Leclerc

Authors
  1. J. G. Trudel
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  2. M. Rivard
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  3. P. L. Dobkin
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  4. J.-M. Leclerc
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  5. P. Robaey
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Trudel, J.G., Rivard, M., Dobkin, P.L. et al. Psychometric properties of the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 system in paediatric oncology patients. Qual Life Res 7, 421–432 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008857920624

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