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Visual Analog Scales

Do They Have a Role in the Measurement of Preferences for Health States?

Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; the Centre for Evaluation of Medicines, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Health Utilities Inc., Canada

David Feeny, PhD

Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, and the Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Health Utilities Inc., Canada

William Furlong, MSc

Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, Health Utilities Inc., Canada

Visual analog scales (VASs) have long been used as a method of measuring preferences for health outcomes. They are easy and inexpensive to implement, can be administered quickly, and lend themselves to self-completion. Over time, however, disturbing questions have emerged concerning the validity of the VAS approach. This article reviews briefly the history, theory, practice, problems, and advantages of VASs; presents some suggestions to improve the validity of VASs; and recommends a limited but useful role for VASs in the process of measuring preferences for health states.

Key Words: visual analog scale • rating scale • standard gamble • utility • preference

Medical Decision Making, Vol. 21, No. 4, 329-334 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/0272989X0102100408


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