Derivation of a preference-based tariff for the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS) to allow calculation of Mental Well-being Adjusted Life Years (MWALYs)

The quality-adjusted life year (QALY), which encompasses quantity and health-related quality of life outcomes in a single metric, is a recommended outcome measure used to inform economic evaluations of healthcare interventions.

However, concerns have been raised regarding its sensitivity for valuing the mental health benefits of interventions as the tools commonly used for incorporating preference-based health-related quality of life outcomes into the QALY metric, such as the EQ-5D, HUI and SF-6D, largely focus on aspects of physical health.

An alternative preference-based outcome measure that captures all aspects of mental well-being would aid decision-making processes for commissioners concerned with the promotion of mental well-being.

The aim of this PhD project is to develop a preliminary UK preference-based valuation (tariff) set for the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), in order to allow estimation of Mental Well-being Adjusted Life Years (MWALYs) for incorporation into economic evaluations.