QUALITY-OF-LIFE (QOL) MEASUREMENT IN ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS IN CANCER - A COMPARISON OF THE EUROQOL QUESTIONNAIRE, A SIMPLE QOL-SCALE AND THE GLOBAL QOL MEASURE OF THE EORTC QLQ-C30

In health economy, the measure of quality of life (QoL) is essential i n cost-utility analysis. The most common utility measure is the qualit y-adjusted-life year (QALY) combining the benefits of survival and QoL during the survival period. Health authorities have to take priority decisions. These should not be founded on differences between choices caused by method chosen. A study on 98 cancer patients (42 Hodgkin's d isease, 56 colorectal cancer) was performed to clarify the consistency of three QoL-instruments [EuroQol questionnaire, simple QoL-scale, gl obal QoL-measure (EORTC QLQ-C30)]. The three instruments were signific antly correlated (p<0.001). Cost-utility analysis employing one of the three instruments are comparable.