PCN2: WHICH VARIABLES DO METASTATIC BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND ONCOLOGY NURSES ANCHOR ON WHEN USING THE EUROQOL DESCRIPTIVE SYSTEM IN MEASURING UTILITIES WITH THE STANDARD GAMBLE TECHNIQUE?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine which of seven EuroQoL descriptives used in collecting utility scores were the anchors for metastatic breast cancer patients (pts) and oncology nurses (nur). METHODS: Eight states of health describing metastatic breast cancer were presented to 45 pts and 56 nur. Each health state had seven bullet points describing varying degrees of severity in the following categories: Mobility, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Hand/finger use (NOT EuroQoL), Usual Activity, Anxiety/Depression, Ability to think (NOT EuroQoL), and Pain/Discomfort. After the utility scores were obtained, subjects were asked which of the seven variables were most important and second most important to them. RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: It appears that both pts and nur anchored mainly on the Self-Care variable. Combining the most important with the next most important variable demonstrates that the Anxiety/Depression variable was also an important anchoring variable for both groups. Pts appear to anchor more on Usual Activity than nur. Nur appear to anchor more on Pain/Discomfort than pts. The results also suggest that the Hand and Finger use variable (NOT a EuroQoL variable) may not be necessary and may actually overburden subjects. Overall, these finding may help explain why metastatic breast cancer patients differ from oncology nurses on utility scores. Patients, N=45 Most?Important?Variable,?N (%) Next Most?Important?Variable,?N (%) Row?Total,?N (%) Mobility 11 (24.4) 3 (6.7) 14 (31.1) ADL or Self Care 14 (31.1) 10 (22.2) 24 (53.3) Hand or finger use 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) Usual Activity 3 (6.7) 7 (15.6) 10 (22.2) Anxiety/Depression 9 (20.0) 11 (24.4) 20 (44.4) Ability to Think 5 (11.1) 10 (22.2) 15 (33.3) Pain/Discomfort 3 (6.7) 4 (8.9) 7 (15.6) Column Total 45 (100%) 45 (100%) Nurses, N=56 Mobility 9 (16.1) 7 (12.5) 16 (28.6) ADL or Self Care 18 (32.1) 14 (25.0) 32 (57.1) Hand or finger use 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) Usual Activity 1 (1.8) 3 (5.4) 4 (7.2) Anxiety/Depression 14 (25.0) 15 (26.8) 29 (51.8) Ability to Think 4 (7.1) 9 (16.1) 13 (23.2) Pain/Discomfort 10 (17.9) 8 (14.3) 18 (32.2) Column Total 56 (100%) 56 (100.1% rounded)