Health Economics &Decision Science.ScHARR

Also in this issue...– More PROMS development– Screening programmes – are they

cost-effective?– Over 6,500 enroll on MVH MOOC

HEDS BlogThe HEDS blog can be found at http://scharrheds.blogspot.comand is kept regularly updated. It is a mine of useful information for anyone working in the areas in which we specialise.

@ScHARRHEDS

Visit us at... www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds

Summer 2015 – Volume 10.1

Recovering Quality of Life – a new PROM specific to mental health

HEDS NEWS Summer 2015 Volume 10.1

Professor Simon Dixon

“In a packed programme tonight we will be talking to an out-of-work contortionist who says he can no longer make ends meet”. And almost as good as The Two Ronnies, in a packed newsletter this summer, we have lots of outcome measurement, screening programme evaluations and online resources.

Outcome measurement takes pride of place, with news on a review of measures of wellbeing in policy for the Department of Health, a review of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) for use in National Clinical Audits, the development of a questionnaire relating to immunoglobulin treatment and an update on the development of a measure describing the quality of life and recovery in mental health populations (ReQOL).

Our previous work on heel prick screening has generated further interest, with HEDS researchers commissioned to assess the cost-effectiveness of including a rare inherited metabolic disease (ALD) in the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme. We are also evaluating screening in ovarian and prostate cancers.

A word from the Director

More information on these and other stories can be found on the online version of this newsletter www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter

Screening Programmes – Cost-Effectiveness EvaluationsResearchers in HEDS are working on the cost effectiveness of screening programmes in newborns, and in colorectal and ovarian cancers. This work builds on HEDS’ expertise in evaluating screening programmes, with previous work on prostate cancer and cervical cancer, amongst others.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) in the newborn heel prick screeningThe charity ALD Life has commissioned researchers in HEDS to assess the cost-effectiveness of including ALD in the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme. ALD is a rare inherited metabolic disease that is estimated to affect 1 in 20,000 males. It affects the nervous system and adrenal glands and can lead to progressive neurological disability and death. Studies have shown stem cell transplantation can improve survival and quality of life in some patients if conducted at the very early stages of the disease. The NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme currently tests all babies for nine conditions including six other inherited metabolic conditions. For more information, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/heel

Ovarian cancerOvarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynaecological cancers in the United Kingdom, with the majority of women being diagnosed with late-stage cancer. The United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) has enrolled over 200,000 women in an effort to see if screening for the disease will reduce mortality via earlier detection. The HEDS team, led by Professor Chilcott, are working with the UKCTOCS team to develop a mathematical model that will take into account the potential harms and benefits of screening for ovarian cancer, along with the costs. www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/ovarian

Colorectal cancerHEDS researchers are leading an innovative project to help to improve our understanding of why some people do not accept their invitation to be screened for colorectal cancer (CRC). Within the UK, CRC is the second most common cause of cancer death. Screening for CRC can help to reduce the number of deaths that it causes due to earlier identification and treatment. This project is aiming to link data on the uptake of screening to data from the Yorkshire Health Study (formerly the South Yorkshire Cohort). www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/colorectal

Eric T Sheler (USAF Photographic Archives)

We have a report on the first running of the Measuring and Valuing Health MOOC (massive open online course). It is also worth noting that this MOOC, our HTA MOOC and the others being planned are also being remodelled and reused in our online MSc teaching (International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing and Reimbursement) and bespoke online training for several organisations. If you are interested in this growing portfolio of teaching and training, please contact me, s.dixon@shef.ac.uk

And finally, if you can’t wait for another six months for the next HEDS newsletter, keep an eye on the HEDS Blog (http://scharrheds.blogspot.com) which has just passed the 4,000 visitors for a single month for the first time in March. Our Blog has two or three posts every week and will keep you informed about our research projects, papers, conference presentation and relevant methods and policy news.

Simon Dixon

HEDS JOBSHEDS regularly recruit new staff. For information on jobs, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/vacancies

HEDS NEWS Summer 2015 Volume 10.1

Additional PROMS work in HEDS In addition to ReQoL, HEDS is also involved in introducing Patient Reported Outcome Measures into the National Clinical Audits, in the development of a questionnaire relating to immunoglobulin treatment and in assessing the use of well-being measures in policy.

Introducing PROMS into the National Clinical Audits

NHS England is exploring the possibility of introducing Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) into the National Clinical Audits (NCA) and commissioned a substantive piece of research through the DH’s Policy Research Unit in Economic Evaluation of Health and Care Interventions (EEPRU) programme. The aim was to investigate whether a) the EQ-5D is appropriate in the 13 health conditions specified in the 2013/14 NCA programme, b) what measure could be used when the EQ-5D is not appropriate, and c) to identify evidence requirements to enable current NCAs to be used to address questions of cost-effectiveness and to compare providers. For more on this story, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/proms

The Burden of immunoglobulin Treatment Questionnaire

A team in HEDS led by Georgina Jones is developing a new questionnaire funded by Baxter Healthcare to measure the burden of immunoglobulin (Ig) treatment and its impact upon the quality of life of patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID).

The aim of this study is to develop the first PROM to assess the burden of Ig therapy in patients with PID. The research involves four stages over 12 months and recruitment has just started. The team are working closely with colleagues in the Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit in STH, International experts in PID, Parexel and the International Patient Organisation for PIDs (IPOPI) during the development of the questionnaire. For more on this story, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/igbot

Well-being measures in policy

The Department of Health’s Policy Research Unit in Economic evaluation of Health and Care interventions (EEPRU) has undertaken work assessing the use of well-being measures in policy. There is significant political interest in the UK on the use of well-being measures, particularly as they would allow comparisons across different government departments. Researchers in EEPRU undertook a conceptual and empirical comparison of the most commonly used measures in the UK. Measures to assess health as well as social care outcomes were also included in the research. The results provide the first comprehensive assessment of commonly used well-being measures in the UK. For more on this story, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/wellbeing

PROMS work in HEDS

 

 

A new measure to assess quality of life and recovery in people with mental health conditions  

The  NHS  is  committed  to  increasing  the  use  of  outcome  measures  to  improve  care  for  people  with  mental  health  problems  (Closing  the  Gap  2014).  It  has  been  recognised  that  the  EQ-­‐5D,  which  is  the  main  generic  measure  used  in  cost-­‐effectiveness  analyses  in  the  UK,  is  not  appropriate  in  many  areas  of  mental  health.  Existing  mental  health  specific  measures  tend  to  be  focused  on  symptoms  rather  than  on  impact  on  quality  of  life.    

A  research  team  led  by  John  Brazier  through  funding  from  the  DH  through  the  Policy  Research  Unit  in   Economic   Evaluation   of   Health   and   Care   interventions   (EEPRU)   at   the   University   of   Sheffield,   is  developing   a   generic   patient   reported   outcome   measure   Recovering   Quality   of   Life   (ReQoL),   to  assess  the  Quality  of  Life  for  people  (aged  16  years  and  over)  with  mental  health  difficulties.  ReQoL  may  be  used  across  a  wide  range  of  non-­‐  psychotic  and  psychotic  conditions.  Experts,  service  users,  academics,   clinicians   and   policy   makers   both   nationally   and   internationally   have   been   heavily  involved  in  the  development  of  the  ReQoL  measure.      

The   ReQoL   measure   consists   of   seven   themes   that   have   been   identified   from   a   systematic   review  and  interviews  with  service  users.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autonomy  Control    Choice

Self Perception

     Activity Hope

Relationships  Belonging

Physical  health

Well-­‐Being Ill-­‐Being

               Included                          Partially  included                          Not  included  in  EQ-­‐5D  and  SF-­‐6D

HEDS staff at conferences Our staff regularly present at conferences worldwide. Over the next few months we are attending: ISPOR Philadelphia - 16th-20th May 2015, EAHIL Edinburgh - 9th-12th June 2015, HTAI Oslo - 15th-17th June 2015, Research in the 21st Century Conference - 19th June 2015, HESG Lancaster - 22nd-24th June 2015, IHEA Milan - 12th-15th July 2015. To see our posters and presentations from previous conferences, please go to www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/posters

ReQoL: a new measure to assess quality of life and recovery in people with mental health conditionsThe NHS is committed to increasing the use of outcome measures to improve care for people with mental health problems (Closing the Gap 2014). It has been recognised that the EQ-5D, which is the main generic measure used in cost-effectiveness analyses in the UK, is not appropriate in many areas of mental health. Existing mental health specific measures tend to be focused on symptoms rather than on impact on quality of life.

A research team led by John Brazier through funding from the DH through the Policy Research Unit in Economic Evaluation of Health and Care interventions (EEPRU) at the University of Sheffield, is developing the generic patient reported outcome measure (PROM) Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL), to assess Quality of Life for people with mental health difficulties. ReQoL may be used across a wide range of non- psychotic and psychotic conditions. Experts, service users, academics, clinicians and policy makers both nationally and internationally have been heavily involved in the development of the ReQoL measure.

The ReQoL measure consists of seven themes that have been identified from a systematic review and interviews with service users.

From a pool of 1600 potential questions from existing Quality of Life and recovery measure

and interview manuscripts, 61 questions are being presented to over 1000 service users across the voluntary, primary, secondary and tertiary care settings. Psychometrics analysis will be undertaken to produce the long version (20-30 items) and the short version (about 10 items) of the ReQoL measures. The ReQoL measures will be available for use from August 2015. ReQoL will be an instrument for use routinely to assess the outcomes of interventions in clinical practice, audit, and monitoring. It will also be available for use in conducting economic evaluation. Validation work will start in September 2015 until March 2016. Around the summer of 2016, it is expected that the valuation of the ReQoL questionnaire will be complete with preference weights available for the calculation of Quality Adjusted Life Years.

For further information on this project visit www.reqol.org.uk

Short CoursesDates Name of Course Course Content8 June 2015 A Guide to Doing Mixed Methods

Studies in the Health SciencesThe course undertakes the process a mixed method study. The focus will be on health research, particularly health care research.

25 June 2015 The Identification and Review of Evidence to Inform Cost Effectiveness Models

The course will enable participants to develop an understanding of the methods available for the identification and review of evidence to inform cost effectiveness models.

24-26 August 2015 Evidence Synthesis of Qualitative Research in Europe (ESQUIRE)

The course will follow the systematic review process as it applies, and is adapted to, qualitative evidence syntheses.

9 September 2015 Remixing Research – methods for increasing and measuring your scholarly output on the web

The aim of this short course is to guide delegates through the many tools that are available to help you maximise and measure the reach of your work, whether that be publications, presentations, posters, data or ideas.

11 November 2015 Rapid Review Methods Rapid reviews use methods that accelerate or streamline the traditional systematic review processes in order to facilitate timely decision making.

23-27 November 2015 The Application of Psychometrics for Health Measurement (basic to Intermediate)

This interactive and practical course will introduce participants to psychometrics used in scale construction and the development of multi-item patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Further details and booking information can be found on our website www.shef.ac.uk/scharr/shortcourseunit

MSc Courses

• MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing & Reimbursement

• MSc Health Economics & Decision Modelling

• MSc Economics & Health Economics

For information on all masters courses, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters

ScHARR – ranked 4th in the power list of UK Health ResearchThe results of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) have confirmed ScHARR’s position in world-leading health research.

An analysis of the results published by the Times Higher Education magazine ranked ScHARR, HEDS’ University Department, as 4th in the UK for “power” (ahead of Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London), which is a combination of research quality and the volume of our research.

Over 6,500 register for HEDS’ MOOC on Measuring and Valuing HealthIn February 2015, HEDS launched a new MOOC (massive online open course), in partnership with Future Learn, on Measuring and Valuing Health. MOOCs are free courses available to anyone with internet access. 6,545 learners signed up to join us from all over the world including patients, health care professionals, academics, lay interested people, and policy makers.

The course ran for three weeks and was based around introducing Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) and Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). MOOCs are delivered one step at a time in bite sized pieces and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, allowing learners to study at their own pace and at their leisure.

Teaching comprises a mixture of videos, interactive exercises, articles, quizzes and discussion boards.

Many learners commented on how much they enjoyed the course, in particular joining in discussions such as whose values we should use to value health and having a go at health state valuation exercises and comparing results with other learners.

The course also showcased the research of HEDS, including the SF-6D and the CHU9D and many of our staff contributed to the videos.

If you missed the course first time round, we will be running it again.

For more on this story, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/sections/heds/newsletter/mooc_value_health

You can also follow the conversation here #FLValuinghealth

Katherine Stevens, John Brazier, Clara Mukuria and Donna Rowen, educators on the Utilities MOOC

Feedback HEDS would appreciate your feedback on this newsletter. Please email: hedsnewsletter@sheffield.ac.uk We look forward to hearing from you.