The Estimation of Health State Utility Values for Psychological Distress in Australia: Implications for Future Economic Evaluations

Objectives Psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering and discomfort that often manifests as anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms, impairing daily functioning and hindering concentration, relationships, and work or school performance. We aimed to examine the disutility associated with psychological distress. Methods We used longitudinal data obtained from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. We measured health state utility values (HSUVs) using the Short-Form 6-Dimension (SF-6D) Utility Index and psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. We used longitudinal fixed-effects regression model to examine the effects of psychological distress on HSUVs. Results The results from fixed-effects panel regression models indicate a negative effect of psychological distress on HSUVs. We found that moderate psychological distress (β = −0.057, 95% CI −0.059 to −0.055) and high psychological distress (β = −0.123, 95% CI −0.126 to −0.121) led to a significant reduction in HSUVs. These findings hold across different subsamples, such as age, gender, and race. Conclusions By quantifying the reduction in HSUVs due to psychological distress, our study provides valuable data for future economic evaluations of healthcare interventions. The evidence generated from future economic evaluations will assist policymakers in making informed decisions about the cost-effective interventions for treating psychological distress.