Econometrics

Types of uncertainty in health economic modelling

There are four primary types of uncertainty in health economic modelling:

  • Heterogeneity: Variation between individuals that can be explained by their characteristics
  • Stochastic uncertainty: Variation between individuals that cannot be explained by their characteristics,
  • Parameter uncertainty: Uncertainty in the estimated values for the parameters that define the model
  • Structural uncertainty: Uncertainty in model outcomes that arise from assumptions and decisions made in the modelling process. 

You can learn more about these types of uncertainty in the R for Health Technology Assessment textbook.