iMPACT3: Internet-Based Development and Administration of Utility Elicitation Protocols

Abstract

iMPACT3 (Internet Multimedia Preference Assessment Instrument Construction Tool, version 3) is a software development environment that helps researchers build Internet-capable multimedia utility elicitation software programs. The program is a free, openly accessible Web site (http.// preferences.ucsd.edu/impact3/asp). To develop a utility elicitation software program using iMPACT3, a researcher selects modular protocol components from a library and custom tailors the components to the details of his or her research protocol. iMPACT3 builds a Web site implementing the protocol and downloads it to the researcher's computer. In a study of 75 HIV-infected patients, an iMPACT3-generated protocol showed substantial evidence of construct validity and good internal consistency (logic error rates of 4% to 10% and procedural invariance error rates of 10% to 28%, depending on the elicitation method) but only fair 3- to 6-week test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient= 0.42 to 0.55). Further work may be needed on specific utility assessment procedures, but this study's results confirm iMPACT3's feasibility in facilitating the collection of health state utility data.

Marker states and a health state prompt provide modest improvements in the reliability and validity of the standard gamble and rating scale in prostate cancer patients

“…Direct utility assessment was originally conducted with personal interviews, but computers and the Internet have been employed recently to reduce interviewer time and costs [14][15][16]. There is some preliminary evidence that computer administration may yield lower utilities than interviewing [17].…”

Preference-Based Quality of Life in Patients With Cerebral Aneurysms

“…The development of interactive software permitting computerized self-administration has simplified data collection. 10 Telephone administration of the standard gamble and time trade-off during follow-up testing once individuals have had an initial face-to-face interview is also a reliable technique. 20 Recent work with the "paper gamble," a self-administered paper survey version of the standard gamble, has shown a high correlation with computer-administered standard gamble results 21 and has demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability.…”

Predictors of Health-Related Quality-of-Life Utilities Among Persons With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…The SG technique has been shown to have adequate intrarater reliability (r=.77) (19), as well as satisfactory test-retest reliability (r=.80) (20). Computerized and paper-and-pencil versions of the SG have been validated (21,22). Participants completed a SG via computer using a format provided by Littenberg and colleagues (22).…”