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Multi-Attribute Health Status Classification System:
Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3)
 
Attribute Level Description
VISION 1 Able to see well enough to read ordinary newsprint and recognize a friend on the other side of the street, without glasses or contact lenses.
2 Able to see well enough to read ordinary newsprint and recognize a friend on the other side of the street, but with glasses.
3 Able to read ordinary newsprint with or without glasses but unable to recognize a friend on the other side of the street, even with glasses.
4 Able to recognize a friend on the other side of the street with or without glasses but unable to read ordinary newsprint, even with glasses.
5 Unable to read ordinary newsprint and unable to recognize a friend on the other side of the street, even with glasses.
6 Unable to see at all.
       
HEARING 1 Able to hear what is said in a group conversation with at least three other people, without a hearing aid.
2 Able to hear what is said in a conversation with one other person in a quiet room without a hearing aid, but requires a hearing aid to hear what is said in a group conversation with at least three other people.
3 Able to hear what is said in a conversation with one other person in a quiet room with a hearing aid, and able to hear what is said in a group conversation with at least three other people, with a hearing aid.
4 Able to hear what is said in a conversation with one other person in a quiet room, without a hearing aid, but unable to hear what is said in a group conversation with at least three other people even with a hearing aid. 
5 Able to hear what is said in a conversation with one other person in a quiet room with a hearing aid, but unable to hear what is said in a group conversation with at least three other people even with a hearing aid.
6 Unable to hear at all.
       
SPEECH 1 Able to be understood completely when speaking with strangers or friends.
2 Able to be understood partially when speaking with strangers but able to be understood completely when speaking with people who know me well.
3 Able to be understood partially when speaking with strangers or people who know me well.
4 Unable to be understood when speaking with strangers but able to be understood partially by people who know me well.
5 Unable to be understood when speaking to other people (or unable to speak at all).
       
AMBULATION 1 Able to walk around the neighbourhood without difficulty, and without walking equipment.
2 Able to walk around the neighbourhood with difficulty; but does not require walking equipment or the help of another person.
3 Able to walk around the neighbourhood with walking equipment, but without the help of another person.
4 Able to walk only short distances with walking equipment, and requires a wheelchair to get around the neighbourhood.
5 Unable to walk alone, even with walking equipment. Able to walk short distances with the help of another person, and requires a wheelchair to get around the neighbourhood.
6 Cannot walk at all.
       
DEXTERITY 1 Full use of two hands and ten fingers.
2 Limitations in the use of hands or fingers, but does not require special tools or help of another person.
3 Limitations in the use of hands or fingers, is independent with use of special tools (does not require the help of another person).
4 Limitations in the use of hands or fingers, requires the help of another person for some tasks (not independent even with use of special tools).
5 Limitations in use of hands or fingers, requires the help of another person for most tasks (not independent even with use of special tools).
6 Limitations in use of hands or fingers, requires the help of another person for all tasks (not independent even with use of special tools).
       
EMOTION 1 Happy and interested in life.
2 Somewhat happy.
3 Somewhat unhappy.
4 Very unhappy.
5 So unhappy that life is not worthwhile.
       
COGNITION 1 Able to remember most things, think clearly and solve day to day problems.
2 Able to remember most things, but have a little difficulty when trying to think and solve day to day problems.
3 Somewhat forgetful, but able to think clearly and solve day to day problems.
4 Somewhat forgetful, and have a little difficulty when trying to think or solve day to day problems.
5 Very forgetful, and have great difficulty when trying to think or solve day to day problems.
6 Unable to remember anything at all, and unable to think or solve day to day problems.
       
PAIN 1 Free of pain and discomfort.
2 Mild to moderate pain that prevents no activities.
3 Moderate pain that prevents a few activities.
4 Moderate to severe pain that prevents some activities.
5 Severe pain that prevents most activities.
       
  NOTE:  The HUI Mark 3 (HUI3) Classification System
                 is NOT the HUI questionnaire.
                 Answers to HUI questionnaires enable researchers
                 to map responses to specific levels within the
                 classification system using decision tables and
                 coding algorithms provided in the HUI2/3 Manual.
                 Manuals are licensed along with questionnaires
                 for both Self-complete and Interviewer-administered
                 applications.
                 Please navigate to "Questionnaires" for more details.

The above level descriptions are worded here
                 exactly as they were presented to interview
                 subjects in the HUI3 preference survey.

  For a pdf-formatted version of the HUI2 and HUI3 Classification Systems click here.

HUI3 Single-Attribute Utility Functions*

Level
Vision
Hearing
Speech
Ambulation
Dexterity
Emotion
Cognition
Pain
1
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2
0.95
0.86
0.82
0.83
0.88
0.91
0.86
0.92
3
0.73
0.71
0.67
0.67
0.73
0.73
0.92
0.77
4
0.59
0.48
0.41
0.36
0.45
0.33
0.70
0.48
5
0.38
0.32
0.00
0.16
0.20
0.00
0.32
0.00
6
0.00
0.00
  
0.00
0.00
  
0.00
  
*Furlong et al. CHEPA WP#98-11, Appendix B, Table 2, page 97.
NOTE: the mean single-attribute utility score for level 3 cognition is greater than the mean single-attribute utility score for level 2 cognition.

HUI3 Multi-Attribute Utility Function*
on Dead-Healthy Scale

Vision
x1   b1
Hearing
x2   b2
Speech
x3   b3
Ambulation
x4   b4
Dexterity
x5   b5
Emotion
x6   b6
Cognition
x7   b7
Pain
x8   b8
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
1   1.00
2   0.98
2   0.95
2   0.94
2   0.93
2   0.95
2   0.95
2   0.92
2   0.96
3   0.89
3   0.89
3   0.89
3   0.86
3   0.88
3   0.85
3   0.95
3   0.90
4   0.84
4   0.80
4   0.81
4   0.73
4   0.76
4   0.64
4   0.83
4   0.77
5   0.75
5   0.74
5   0.68
5   0.65
5   0.65
5   0.46
5   0.60
5   0.55
6   0.61
6   0.61
  
6   0.58
6   0.56
  
6   0.42
  
*Furlong et al. CHEPA WP#98-11, Table 11, page 76 and Appendix B, Table 1, page 96.
Where xn is the attribute level and bn is the attribute utility score
Formula (Dead - Perfect Health scale)    u* = 1.371 (b1 * b2 * b3 * b4 * b5 * b6 * b7 * b8) - 0.371
where u* is the utility of a chronic health state1 on a utility scale where dead2 has a utility of 0.00 and healthy has a utility of 1.00.
Notes:
1. Chronic states, and healthy states, are here defined as lasting for a lifetime.
2. Dead is defined as immediate.
Example:For subject "A" whose HUI3 comprehensive health status is classified as follows:
 
VISION
HEARING
SPEECH
AMBULATION
DEXTERITY
EMOTION
COGNITION
PAIN
Level
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
3
Referring to the Multi-attribute Utility Function Table above, substitue the appropriate scores for bn for each attribute as follows:
u* = 1.371 (0.98 * 1.00 * 1.00 * 0.93 * 1.00 * 0.95 * 1.00 * 0.90) - 0.371 = 0.70,
the utility score for individual "A" on the Dead=0.00 to Perfect Health=1.00 scale.
Sources
Feeny, David, William Furlong, Michael Boyle, and George W. Torrance, "Multi-Attribute Health Status Classification Systems:  Health Utilities Index." PharmacoEconomics, Vol 7, No 6, June, 1995, pp 490-502.

Feeny, David H., George W. Torrance, and William J. Furlong, "Health Utilities Index," Chapter 26 In Bert Spilker, ed. Quality of Life and Pharmacoeconomics in Clinical Trials. Second Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Press, 1996, pp 239-252.

Furlong, William, David Feeny, George W. Torrance, Charles Goldsmith, Sonja DePauw, Michael Boyle, Margaret Denton, and Zenglong Zhu, "Multiplicative Multi-Attribute Utility Function for the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) System: A Technical Report," McMaster University Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis Working Paper No. 98-11.

Follow the links for detailed information on the HUI2 classification system;
Selecting a Self- or Interviewer- or Web-based administration format;
Reviewing the Table of Contents/Introduction of the HUI Self-Complete Questionnaire manual;
Completing the on-line Application Form to contact the HUI Service Centre
    with your study-particulars and allow your HUInc representative help you
    choose the HUI instrument that meets your needs.

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