Preference Elicitation

Theme Leader: Professor Mandy Ryan

Introduction

This theme aims to develop and apply economic methods for eliciting preferences in the delivery of health care. 

The objectives are to:

• Undertake methodological research to improve the validity of contingent valuation (CV) and discrete choice experiments (DCEs) methods in health,
• Apply CV and DCEs to challenging policy areas,
• Develop CV and DCEs to take account of the patient experience in the delivery of health care.

These objectives are achieved by conducting work in two areas: methodological research, and translation to the policy arena.

Methodological Research

Building on previous methodological work, we currently focus on: developing econometric methods for analysing response data; investigating decision-making strategies and context when responding to DCEs and CV; and investigating of the validity of responses to DCE and CV experiments.This theme works closely with the Experimental Economics theme within PEAT (see Experimental Economics).

Translation to Policy Arena

Work translating DCEs and CVs to the policy arena focuses on a range of policy questions of national relevance, collaborating closely with the Assessment of Technologies theme within PEAT and the BHHS Programme. A priority area is looking beyond the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) as a method for valuing alternative health policies, and considering the application of CV and DCEs within an economic evaluation modelling framework. Future work will also consider the application of CV and DCEs to low income and disadvantaged groups. A particular focus here will be the application of valuation techniques in low and middle income countries.