What should be reported in a methods section on utility assessment?

Background. The measurement of utilities, or preferences, for health states may be affected by the technique used. Unfortunately, in papers reporting utilities, it is often difficult to infer how the utility measurement was c arded out. Purpose. To present a list of components that, when described, p rovide sufficient detail of the utility assessment. Methods. An initial lis t was prepared by one of the authors. A panel of 8 experts was formed to ad d additional components. The components were drawn from 6 clusters that foc us on the design of the study, the administration procedure, the health sta te descriptions, the description of the utility assessment method, the desc ription of the indifference procedure, and the use of visual aids or softwa re programs. The list was updated and redistributed among a total of 14 exp erts, and the components were judged for their importance of being mentione d in a Methods section. Results. More than 40 components were generated. Te n components were identified as necessary to include even in an article not focusing on utility measurement: how utility questions were administered, how health states were described, which utility assessment method(s) was us ed, the response and completion rates, specification of the duration of the health states, which software program (if any) was used, the description o f the worst health state (lower anchor of the scale), whether a matching or choice indifference search procedure was used, when the assessment was con ducted relative to treatment, and which (if any) visual aids were used. The interjudge reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85). Discuss ion. The list of components important for utility papers may be used in var ious ways, for instance, as a checklist while writing, reviewing, or readin g a Methods section or while designing experiments. Guidelines are provided for a few components.