OBJECTIVES: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a relapsing, chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder leading to long-term disturbances on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Various functional and QoL measures have been developed to evaluate IBS outcomes, but none of the preference-based QoL measure has been applied and validated on Taiwanese people. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of applying preference-based HRQoL measures to IBS patients in Taiwan. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted from July to December 2010 at gastroenterology clinics in a regional hospital in southern Taiwan. IBS outpatients diagnosed by Rome III criteria were invited into participate semi-structure interview survey by using EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire, 100-mm visual analogue scale (EQ-5D VAS) and standard gamble (SG) method. The EQ-5D assessment was transformed into EQ-5D index using Japanese preference weight. Multiple regression was used to assess factors associated with utilities, e.g. demographic, socioeconomic status and disease severity. RESULTS: Of all, 29 participants (mean age 45.8±16.5 years; 62.1% female) completed QoL survey, except for one rejected SG survey for disagreeing with SG hypothesis. Participants' IBS subtypes include constipation (n=11; 37.9%), diarrhea (n=16; 55.2%) and unsubtyped IBS (n=2; 6.9%); and 12 (41.4%) participants were newly diagnosed IBS and 12 had over two-year disease history. Participants had no problem in EQ-5D survey, some expressed difficulties in dimensions of pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Mean utility derived from SG (0.85±0.16), EQ-5D index (0.79±0.15) and EQ-5D VAS (0.59±0.17) were significantly different (p<0.05). SG utility was significantly associated with unsubtyped IBS and whether the IBS was newly diagnosed (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IBS is well-tolerated but causing problem in anxiety/depression and pain/discomfort in QoL survey. Mean utility of SG is higher than results derived from EQ-5D and EQ VAS, and this finding matches previous literature. Further validate the utility measures in more IBS patients with various subtypes and severity is needed.