METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN THE APPLICATION OF CONJOINT-ANALYSIS IN HEALTH-CARE

This paper adds to an increasing literature on methodological question s addressed in the application of conjoint analysis (CA) in health car e. Three issues are addressed: ordering effects; internal validity; an d internal consistency. The results of an application of CA in a prima ry care setting provide no evidence that the ordering of scenarios was important. Evidence was found of both internal validity and internal consistency. In addition, individual preferences were found to be dete rmined by experiences, which raise potentially important questions reg arding the elicitation and use of such preferences in economic evaluat ion. (C) 1998 John Wiley gr Sons, Ltd.