Health Utilities Index Mark 3 scores for children and youth: Population norms for Canada based on cycles 5 (2016 and 2017) and 6 (2018 and 2019) of the Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Abstract

Background: Utility scores are an important tool for evaluating health-related quality of life. Utility score norms have been published for Canadian adults, but no nationally representative utility score norms are available for children and youth.

Data and methods: Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) data from two recent cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (i.e., 2016 and 2017, and 2018 and 2019) were used to provide utility score norms for children aged 6 to 11 years and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Children younger than 14 years answered the HUI3 under the supervision of an adult, while older children answered without supervision. Utility scores were reported as a weighted average (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) and median values (interquartile range). Utility scores were stratified by sociodemographic and medical characteristics of the child or adolescent. Regression analyses were used to identify predictors of utility scores. All results were weighted using sampling weights provided by Statistics Canada.

Results: Among the 2,297,136 children aged 6 to 11 years and the 2,329,185 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in the weighted sample, the average utility scores were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94 to 0.95) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.90), respectively. Approximately 60% of the children and 34% of the adolescents had a utility score of 1.00. Analyses identified several factors associated with utility scores (e.g., age, chronic condition and income levels), although differences were observed between children and adolescents.

Interpretation: This study provides utility score estimates based on a nationally representative sample of Canadian children and youth. Further research examining the determinants of utility scores of children and adolescents is warranted.