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Latent variable mixture models: a promising approach for the validation of patient reported outcomes

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Abstract

Purpose

A fundamental assumption of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measurement is that all individuals interpret questions about their health status in a consistent manner, such that a measurement model can be constructed that is equivalently applicable to all people in the target population. The related assumption of sample homogeneity has been assessed in various ways, including the many approaches to differential item functioning analysis.

Methods

This expository paper describes the use of latent variable mixture modeling (LVMM), in conjunction with item response theory (IRT), to examine: (a) whether a sample is homogeneous with respect to a unidimensional measurement model, (b) implications of sample heterogeneity with respect to model-predicted scores (theta), and (c) sources of sample heterogeneity. An example is provided using the 10 items of the Short-Form Health Status (SF-36®) physical functioning subscale with data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2003) (N = 7,030 adults in Manitoba).

Results

The sample was not homogeneous with respect to a unidimensional measurement structure. Specification of three latent classes, to account for sample heterogeneity, resulted in significantly improved model fit. The latent classes were partially explained by demographic and health-related variables.

Conclusion

The illustrative analyses demonstrate the value of LVMM in revealing the potential implications of sample heterogeneity in the measurement of PROs.

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Abbreviations

AIC:

Akaike information criterion

BLRT:

Bootstrapped likelihood ratio test

BIC:

Bayesian information criterion

BIC*:

Sample-adjusted Bayesian information criterion

CCHS:

Canadian Community Health survey

DIF:

Differential item functioning

IRT:

Item response theory

GRM:

Graded response model

LVMM:

Latent variable mixture model

OR:

Odds ratio

PRO:

Patient reported outcomes

VLMR LRT:

Vuong-Lo-Mendell-Rubin likelihood ratio test

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Acknowledgments

This research was completed with support from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, and the Canadian Arthritis Network. The research and analysis are based on data from Statistics Canada, and the opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada.

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Correspondence to Richard Sawatzky.

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Sawatzky, R., Ratner, P.A., Kopec, J.A. et al. Latent variable mixture models: a promising approach for the validation of patient reported outcomes. Qual Life Res 21, 637–650 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9976-6

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