Factors associated with variation in utility scores among patients with prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess the effects of age, comorbidity, and disease-specific functions on utility scores derived from three methods on prostate cancer.


METHODS
A total of 330 Japanese prostate cancer patients were asked to answer self-administered questionnaires. Community-weighted utility scores were derived from the EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36), while the patient's directly elicited utility score was derived from time trade-off technique. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relation between covariates and utility scores. We assigned age, the Index of Co-existent Disease, and disease-specific functions including sexual, urinary, bowel, and hormonal function as covariates.


RESULTS
Bowel and hormonal function were related to utility scores, while age and sexual function were not. Comorbidities were more closely related to utility scores derived from EQ-5D and SF-36.


CONCLUSIONS
These results contribute to an understanding of which factor has an impact on utility scores in patients with prostate cancer.