Europeans’ willingness to pay for ending homelessness: A contingent valuation study

The purpose of this study is to assess the utility value European citizens put on an innovative social program aimed at reducing homelessness. The Housing First (HF) model involves access to regular, scattered, independent and integrated housing in the community with the support of a multidisciplinary team. Currently, HF is not implemented by most European countries or funded by healthcare or social plans, but randomised controlled trials have stressed significant results for improved housing stability, recovery and healthcare services use. The broader implementation of HF across Europe would benefit from a better understanding of citizens' preferences and “willingness to pay” (WTP) for medico-social interventions like HF. We conducted a representative telephone survey between March and December 2017 in eight European countries (France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden). Respondent's WTP for HF (N = 5631) was assessed through a contingent valuation method with a bidding algorithm. 42.3% of respondents were willing to pay more taxes to reduce homelessness through the HF model, and significant differences were found between countries (p < 0.001); 30.4% of respondents who did not value the HF model were protest zeros (either contested the payment vehicle-taxes- or the survey instrument). Respondents were willing to pay €28.2 (±11) through annual taxation for the HF model. Respondents with higher educational attainment, who paid national taxes, reported positive attitudes about homelessness, or reported practices to reduce homelessness (donations, volunteering) were more likely to value the HF model, with some countries' differences also related to factors at the environmental level. These findings inform key stakeholders that European citizens are aware of the issue of homelessness in their countries and that scaling up the HF model across Europe is both feasible and likely to have public support

Is the Concept of Quality of Life Relevant for Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Cognitive Impairment? Preliminary Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Cognitive impairment occurs in about 50 % of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and the use of self-reported outcomes for evaluating treatment and managing care among subjects with cognitive dysfunction has been questioned. The aim of this study was to provide new evidence about the suitability of self-reported outcomes for use in this specific population by exploring the internal structure, reliability and external validity of a specific quality of life (QoL) instrument, the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life questionnaire (MusiQoL). Methods: Design: cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria: MS patients of any disease subtype. Data collection: sociodemographic (age, gender, marital status, education level, and occupational activity) and clinical data (MS subtype, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration); QoL (MusiQoL and SF36); and neuropsychological performance (Stroop color-word test). Statistical analysis: confirmatory factor analysis, item-dimension correlations, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Rasch statistics, relationships between MusiQoL dimensions and other parameters. Principal Findings: One hundred and twenty-four consecutive patients were enrolled. QoL scores did not differ between the 69 cognitively non-impaired patients and the 55 cognitively impaired patients, except for the symptoms dimension. The confirmatory factor analysis performed among the impaired subjects showed that the structure of the questionnaire matched with the initial structure of the MusiQoL. The unidimensionality of the MusiQoL dimensions was preserved, and th

Computerized adaptive testing with decision regression trees: an alternative to item response theory for quality of life measurement in multiple sclerosis

Pierre Michel,1,2 Karine Baumstarck,1 Anderson Loundou,1 Badih Ghattas,2 Pascal Auquier,1 Laurent Boyer1 1Aix-Marseille Univ, School of Medicine, CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Marseille, France; 2Mathematics Institute of Marseille, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France Background: The aim of this study was to propose an alternative approach to item response theory (IRT) in the development of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) in quality of life (QoL) for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This approach relied on decision regression trees (DRTs). A comparison with IRT was undertaken based on precision and validity properties. Materials and methods: DRT- and IRT-based CATs were applied on items from a unidimensional item bank measuring QoL related to mental health in MS. The DRT-based approach consisted of CAT simulations based on a minsplit parameter that defines the minimal size of nodes in a tree. The IRT-based approach consisted of CAT simulations based on a specified level of measurement precision. The best CAT simulation showed the lowest number of items and the best levels of precision. Validity of the CAT was examined using sociodemographic, clinical and QoL data. Results: CAT simulations were performed using the responses of 1,992 MS patients. The DRT-based CAT algorithm with minsplit = 10 was the most satisfactory model, superior to the best IRT-based CAT algorithm. This CAT administered an average of nine items and showed satisfactory precision indicators (R = 0.98, root mean square error [RMSE] = 0.18). The DRT-based CAT showed convergent validity as its score correlated significantly with other QoL scores and showed satisfactory discriminant validity. Conclusion: We presented a new adaptive testing algorithm based on DRT, which has equivalent level of performance to IRT-based approach. The use of DRT is a natural and intuitive way to develop CAT, and this approach may be an alternative to IRT. Keywords: computerized adaptive testing, binary decision trees, classification and regression trees, item response theory, quality of life, multiple sclerosi

Satisfaction of hospitalized psychiatry patients: why should clinicians care?

Xavier-Yves Zendjidjian,1,2 Karine Baumstarck,1 Pascal Auquier,1 Anderson Loundou,1 Christophe Lan&ccedil;on,1,2 Laurent Boyer11Public Health, Chronic Diseases and Quality of Life Research Unit, Aix-Marseille Universit&eacute;, 2Department of Psychiatry, La Conception Hospital, Marseille, FranceBackground: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between inpatient satisfaction and health outcomes, quality of life, and adherence to treatment in a sample of patients with schizophrenia, while considering key sociodemographic and clinical confounding factors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the psychiatric departments of two public university hospitals in France. The data collected included sociodemographic information, clinical characteristics, quality of life (using the&nbsp;36-Item Short Form Health&nbsp;Survey), nonadherence to treatment (Medication Adherence Report Scale), and satisfaction (a specific self-administered questionnaire based exclusively on patient point of view [Satispsy-22] and a generic questionnaire for hospitalized patients [QSH]). Multiple linear regressions were &shy;performed to assess the associations between satisfaction and quality of life and between satisfaction and nonadherence. Two sets of models were performed, ie, scores on the Satispsy-22&nbsp;and scores on the QSH.Results: Ninety-one patients with schizophrenia were enrolled. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with better personal experience during hospitalization (Satispsy-22) had a better psychological quality of life (SF36-mental composite score, &beta;=0.37; P=0.004), and patients with higher levels of satisfaction with quality of care (Satispsy-22) showed better adherence to treatment (Medication Adherence Report Scale total score, &beta;=&minus;0.32; P=0.021). Higher QSH scores for staff and structure index were linked to better adherence with treatment (respectively, &beta;=&minus;0.33; P=0.019&nbsp;and &beta;=&minus;0.30; P=0.032), but not with quality of life.Conclusion: Satisfaction was the only factor associated with quality of life and was one of the most important features associated with nonadherence. These findings confirm that satisfaction with hospitalization should not be neglected in clinical practice and that it may improve the management of patients with schizophrenia.Keywords: schizophrenia, satisfaction, health outcome, inpatient, hospital, psychiatry, adherence, quality of lif

Age-related hearing loss in individuals and their caregivers: effects of coping on the quality of life among the dyads

S&eacute;bastien Lazzarotto,1,2 Karine Baumstarck,1 Anderson Loundou,1 Zeinab Hamidou,1,3 Val&eacute;rie Aghababian,1 Tanguy Leroy,1,4 Pascal Auquier1 1EA 3279, Self-Perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix Marseille Universit&eacute;, 2French Regional Institute for Prevention of Aging, Marseille, 3National Clinical Research Quality of Life in Oncology Platform, Marseille, 4Social Psychology Research Group (GRePS EA 4163), Universit&eacute; Lumi&egrave;re Lyon 2, Bron, France Objectives: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) impacts the daily living and quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals and the functioning of family caregivers. In the specific context of voluntary medical checkups, we examined sample dyads (ARHL individual and the caregiver) to determine whether QoL of patients and caregivers is influenced by coping strategies implemented either by themselves or their relatives.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a descriptive/correlative design performed in a French preventive health center (Regional Institute for Prevention of Aging, Marseille, France) for the beneficiaries of pension funds of private sector employees. The samples included beneficiary&ndash;caregiver dyads. The beneficiaries had bilateral (mild to moderately severe) ARHL. Self-reported data were collected as follows: QoL using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, coping strategies using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale, and anxiety and mood using visual analog scales.Results: The final sample comprised 44 beneficiaries and 44 caregivers. The caregiver was the partner of the beneficiary in 73% of cases. The QoL scores of the social dimension were significantly lower for beneficiaries and caregivers compared with French age- and sex-matched controls. Among beneficiaries and caregivers, coping strategies based on problem solving were the most commonly used strategies. The use of positive thinking strategies was associated with higher QoL scores. The more one member of the dyad used an avoidance coping strategy, the more the other member used a positive thinking strategy.Conclusion: This study emphasizes that QoL of individuals with age-related hearing impairment and their natural caregivers is related to the coping strategies that they use. This finding suggests that targeted interventions should be offered to help individuals who experience emotional difficulties to implement more efficient coping strategies. Keywords: age-related hearing impairment, caregivers, dyads, quality of life, coping, emotional status&nbsp