Quebec Health-Related Quality-of-Life Population Norms Using the EQ-5D-5L: Decomposition by Sociodemographic Data and Health Problems

ObjectivesPopulation norms for the EQ-5D-5L were published in Canada but only for Alberta province. The purpose of this study was to derive Quebec population norms from the EQ-5D-5L.MethodsThe data came from a larger study conducted between September 2016 and March 2018 using elicitation techniques for a quality-adjusted life-year project. The online survey was distributed randomly in the province of Quebec. To best describe the entire population, data were stratified by various sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, urban and rural populations, whether disadvantaged or not, immigrant or nonimmigrant, and health problems.ResultsA total of 2704 (53.8%) respondents completed the EQ-5D-5L. Mean (95% confidence interval) and median (interquartile range) utility scores were 0.824 (0.818-0.829) and 0.867 (0.802-0.911), respectively. The EQ-VAS scores were estimated at 75.9 (75.2-76.6) and 80 (69-90). Subjects with lower scores were those who had a low or high body mass index; were smokers; were single, divorced, or widowed; had no children; were unemployed or sick; had lower education or lower annual income; and had a family or personal history of serious illness. Immigrants had higher scores. There was no difference in gender and urban or rural population. The score logically decreased with worsening health status, from a mean score of 0.896 (0.884-0.908) to 0.443 (0.384-0.501; P < .0001. Similar results were observed for subjects’ satisfaction with their health or life. Subjects with lower scores were less willing to take risks. Subjects who declared they were affected by health problems presented significant lower utility scores, ranging from 0.554 (nervous problem) to 0.750 (cancer), compared with those without health problems (0.871; confidence interval: 0.867-0.876).ConclusionThis is the first study to present utility score norms for EQ-5D-5L for the Quebec population. These results will be useful for comparison with quality-adjusted life-year studies to better interpret their results. Moreover, utility norms were provided for 21 health problems, which was rarely done.     

Test-Retest Reliability of EQ-5D-5L Valuation Techniques: The Composite Time Trade-Off and Discrete Choice Experiments

Objectives

To explore the test-retest reliability of the composite time trade-off (C-TTO) and discrete choice experiment (DCE) used in the Indonesian five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) valuation study.

A Head-On Ordinal Comparison of the Composite Time Trade-Off and the Better-Than-Dead Method

ObjectivesThe valuation of health states worse than dead is challenging. Currently used time trade-off methods face problems in (1) detecting time-dependent preferences and (2) insensitivity toward severity for states worse than dead. The better-than-dead (BTD) method has the potential to detect time-dependent preferences. This study compares the BTD and composite time trade-off (cTTO) methods at the ordinal level.MethodsAn experiment was conducted in a convenience sample in which respondents (N = 200) valued the same set of 7 health states in the BTD method and cTTO method. Binary BTD responses were used, with response categories of better than dead and worse than dead. Ternary cTTO responses were used, with the additional equal-to-dead response category. Polychoric correlations were used to determine the agreement between these methods. Consistency and test–retest reliability were assessed within methods.ResultsOverall agreement between the cTTO and BTD method equaled 77.1% and differed between health states and respondents. For both methods, there were few inconsistencies, and the test–retest reliability was comparable (88%). Health states were more often considered worse than dead in the BTD method (BTD: 54.7%, cTTO: 37.2%).ConclusionsThe high agreement between both methods and the comparable amount of inconsistencies and test–retest reliability suggest that the methods have similar measurement properties. The BTD method yielded higher frequencies of worse-than-dead responses while essentially asking respondents to make similar choices. This accounts for part of the disagreement between the methods. Several explanations are offered for this difference, yet more research is needed to explain this phenomenon.     

Overview,Update, and Lessons Learned From the International EQ-5D-5L Valuation Work: Version 2 of the EQ-5D-5L Valuation Protocol

A standardized 5-level EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) valuation protocol was first used in national studies in the period 2012 to 2013. A set of problems encountered in this initial wave of valuation studies led to the subsequent refinement of the valuation protocol. To clarify lessons learned and how the protocol was updated when moving from version 1.0 to the current version 2.1 and 2.0, this article will (1) present the challenges faced in EQ-5D-5L valuation since 2012 and how these were resolved and (2) describe in depth a set of new challenges that have become central in currently ongoing research on how EQ-5D-5L health states should be valued and modeled.     

Accounting for Unobservable Preference Heterogeneity and Evaluating Alternative Anchoring Approaches to Estimate Country-Specific EQ-5D-Y Value Sets: A Case Study Using Spanish Preference Data

ObjectivesThe EuroQol Group published the EQ-5D-Y valuation protocol that recommends 2 valuation techniques to elicit preferences: composite time trade-off (C-TTO) and discrete choice experiments (DCEs). The protocol left the decision of what modeling approach to use open for researchers. Our aims were to explore modeling strategies allowing generation of EQ-5D-Y value sets and to produce an EQ-5D-Y Spanish value set.MethodsWe used EQ-5D-Y DCE and C-TTO data collected in Spain following the protocol and adopted a staged approach for our modeling exercise. First, we selected the best performing DCE latent class model and evaluated models from 2 to 10 classes. We selected the preferred model based on best goodness of fit in terms of the Bayesian information criterion. We considered 2 anchoring approaches to estimate utility values: (1) pits state anchoring and (2) hybrid models (using all available C-TTO responses). All analysis were weighted to be representative of the Spanish population.ResultsWe collected 1005 DCE and 200 C-TTO interviews. We selected a DCE model including 4 classes. Hybrid models using all available C-TTO observations produced a narrower range of values than the pits state anchoring approach.ConclusionsIn this article, we have presented an EQ-5D-Y value set that can be used for cost-utility analysis in Spain. The international EQ-5D-Y valuation protocol should be updated to include a different set of health states for the C-TTO experiment if researchers wish to use alternative anchoring approaches to the “pits state.”     

New Zealand Population Norms for the EQ-5D-5L Constructed From the Personal Value Sets of Participants in a National Survey

ObjectivesTo derive New Zealand (NZ) population norms for the EQ-5D-5L and to examine the association between participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and their health-related quality of life.MethodsData from the 2018 NZ EQ-5D-5L valuation study (n = 2468) were used. Each participant’s 5-digit profile was converted to a single utility value using their personal value set. The profiles, mean utility values, and mean EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) scores were summarized by dimension and disaggregated by age group and gender. Multivariable logistic and Tobit regressions were used to investigate the association between participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and the EQ-5D-5L dimensions, utility values, and EQ-VAS scores.ResultsThe mean utility value was 0.847 and the mean EQ-VAS score was 74.8. Of the 3125 possible EQ-5D-5L profiles, 25 profiles represented the current health status of the majority of participants (78%). The odds of having problems with anxiety or depression was greatest for people aged 18 to 24 years and decreased with age. People with a long-term disability or chronic illness had greater odds of problems on all dimensions and lower (poorer) utility values and EQ-VAS scores. Age, ethnicity, employment status, long-term disability, and chronic illness were associated with utility.ConclusionEQ-5D-5L population norms were derived for the NZ population using the personal value sets of 2468 participants. Consistent with other countries’ population norms, EQ-5D-5L utility values and EQ-VAS scores were associated with age, employment status, long-term disability, and chronic illness. These norms will support resource allocation decision making and help in understanding the health-related quality of life of the NZ population.     

基于EQ-5D-3L和ICECAP-A量表的我国普通人群生命质量研究

目的:分析EQ-5D-3L和ICECAP-A量表评价我国普通人群生命质量的差异以及对干预方案价值评价的影响,为研究者选择合适的生命质量测量工具提供参考。方法:采用配额抽样选取802名受访者进行生命质量评价,并分别采用因子分析、多分格相关性和Bland-Altman plot一致性分析等方法探讨两量表测量结果的差异。结果:Wilcoxon秩和检验表明EQ-5D-3L量表的健康效用均值高于ICECAP-A量表的测量结果;ICECAP-A量表五个维度均主要加载于反映社会心理健康的因子1,而EQ-5D-3L量表的大部分维度主要加载于反映生理健康的因子2。部分维度之间也存在显著的相关性,但均较弱。两量表效用值的ICC为0.32,一致性分析显示5.74%的受访者超出了95%的一致性界限。结论:前者的测量内涵是健康相关生命质量,而后者则反映的是幸福感、可行能力等更广义的生命质量,其对于旨在提升公众广义幸福感和社会福祉的干预措施效果评估方面具有较好的适用性。研究者可根据测量目的及量表属性选择合适的量表,鉴于两个量表在测量内涵中的互补性,也可以在研究中同时采用两种量表以便更全面地反映干预措施的效果或受访者的生命质量。     

Association between Health-Related Quality of Life and Body Mass After Adjustable Gastric Banding: A Nonlinear Approach

ObjectiveTo estimate the relationship between health utilities and body mass index (BMI) among a cohort of obese patients who underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).MethodsWe used a cross-sectional survey to ascertain demographic, clinical, and health utility data from patients who had undergone LAGB in Washington State from 2004 to 2010. The EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire was used for health utility estimation. We calculated adjusted EQ-5D questionnaire indices across BMI categories by using a two-part model. We also used logistic regression to examine the relationship between BMI and the likelihood of reporting problems on each of the EQ-5D questionnaire dimension.ResultsData were obtained from 790 subjects. The mean adjusted EQ-5D questionnaire indices for all obese BMI categories were significantly lower than those in the normal weight category. The relationship between BMI and EQ-5D questionnaire indices was nonlinear. Respondents classified as morbidly obese II (BMI > 50 kg/m²) had the greatest decrement (−0.15, 95% confidence interval −0.28 to −0.01) in EQ-5D questionnaire indices. The association between EQ-5D questionnaire indices and BMI at the time of the survey was weaker after adjusting for weight loss after LAGB. Respondents with higher BMI were more likely to report having problems in the mobility, usual/activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression dimensions (trend test, P < 0.05), but not for the self-care dimension (trend test, P = 0.08).ConclusionsThe EQ-5D questionnaire has a negative and nonlinear relationship with BMI for obese patients who had LAGB. The relationship is confounded by weight loss. Within the EQ-5D questionnaire dimensions, patients are more likely to report having problems in the mobility, usual/activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression dimensions in higher BMI categories, but not in the self-care dimension.     

欧洲五维五水平量表在中国慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染者中的适用性调查

目的了解欧洲五维五水平量表（EQ-5D-5L）在中国慢性乙型肝炎（乙肝）病毒（Hepatitis B Virus,HBV）感染者中的适用性。方法采取整群抽样的方法,从山东省3家医院中连续调查HBV携带者、慢性乙肝（Chronic Hepatitis B,CHB）非活动期、CHB活动期、代偿性肝硬化（Compensated Cirrhosis,CC）、失代偿性肝硬化（Decompensated Cirrhosis,DC）和肝细胞癌（Hepatocellular Carcinoma,HCC）病人各至少100名。病人自填调查表。一周后对住院病人进行复查,询问医生了解病人病情的转归。采用日本模型获得不同病人的健康相关生命质量（Health-Related QualityofLife,HRQoL）,进行效度、信度、敏感度和响应度的评价,使用多重线性回归进行影响因素分析。结果初次调查645人,复查183人。HBV携带者、CHB非活动期、CHB活动期、CC、DC和HCC病人的HRQoL均数分别为0．813、0．808、0．771、0．763、0．699和0．661;除HBV携带者与CHB非活动期、CHB活动期与CC外,不同HBV感染状态HRQoL的差异均有统计学意义;除CHB非活动期外,其他HBV感染状态的HRQoL与视觉模拟标尺均有较高的相关性。对病情稳定的各类病人,前后两次调查HRQoL的差异无统计学意义,且组内相关系数较高;量表存在一定程度的天花板效应;对病情好转的各类病人,第二次调查的HRQoL均显著升高。结论EQ-5D-5L适用于我国慢性HBV感染人群,具有较好的效度、信度和响应度,但敏感度较低,对轻症病人有一定程度的天花板效应。     

Development of an EQ-5D Value Set for India Using an Extended Design (DEVINE) Study: The Indian 5-Level Version EQ-5D Value Set

ObjectivesThis study aimed to develop the Indian 5-level version EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) value set, which is a key input in health technology assessment for resource allocation in healthcare.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using the EuroQol Group’s Valuation Technology was undertaken in a representative sample of 3548 adult respondents, selected from 5 different states of India using a multistage stratified random sampling technique. The participants were interviewed using a computer-assisted personal interviewing technique. This study adopted a novel extended EuroQol Group’s Valuation Technology design that included 18 blocks of 10 composite time trade-off (c-TTO) tasks, comprising 150 unique health states, and 36 blocks of 7 discrete choice experiment (DCE) tasks, comprising 252 DCE pairs. Different models were explored for their predictive performance. Hybrid modeling approach using both c-TTO and DCE data was used to estimate the value set.ResultsA total of 2409 interviews were included in the analysis. The hybrid heteroscedastic model with censoring at ?1 combining c-TTO and DCE data yielded the most consistent results and was used for the generation of the value set. The predicted values for all 3125 health states ranged from ?0.923 to 1. The preference values were most affected by the pain/discomfort dimension.ConclusionsThis is the largest EQ-5D-5L valuation study conducted so far in the world. The Indian EQ-5D-5L value set will promote the effective conduct of health technology assessment studies in India, thereby generating credible evidence for efficient resource use in healthcare.     

Valuation of EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire,Youth Version (EQ-5D-Y) and EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire,Three-Level Version (EQ-5D-3L) Health States: The Impact of Wording and Perspective

Background

Valuations of health states were affected by the wording of the two instruments (EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-Y) and by the perspective taken (child or adult).

Why Do Patients with Inflammatory Arthritis Often Score States “Worse than Death” on the EQ-5D? An Investigation of the EQ-5D Classification System

Objective:  Using inflammatory arthritis patients as an example, we investigate EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) profiles resulting in states worse than death (WTD), and the heath status of patients occupying these states.
Methods:  Baseline data from two UK trials were used that reflected the range of arthritis states/severity found in routine practice. EQ-5D profiles resulting in negative valuations (i.e., states WTD) based on UK weights were identified. EQ-5D scores for these profiles from alternative valuation sets, including a reanalysis of the UK weights, were compared. The health status and characteristics of patients, and factors associated with patients in the low distribution of the EQ-5D and those with WTD EQ-5D scores were identified.
Results:  Seven hundred patients were included in the analysis. Sixty-two (9%) patients occupied states WTD. Patients occupied 9 of the possible 84health profiles with negative scores (53% occupied one profile); this profile was not rated WTD by any of the alternative EQ-5D scoring algorithms. All WTD profiles included severe pain/discomfort plus moderate problems in ≥3 other domains. Patients with WTD valuations reported higher levels of pain, and feeling downhearted and low on alternative health status measures.
Conclusions:  Pain was the predominant factor in the WTD EQ-5D profiles occupied by arthritis patients. Patients occupying states WTD have poorer health-related quality of life than patients in low "better than death" states. Valuations of profiles vary according to how sets of preference weights for health profiles were developed. Further research should explore whether WTD valuations are supported by qualitative evidence and reflect the patient's health and experience of disease.     

Health-Related Quality of Life of HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Pregnant Women in an Impoverished Area: Cross-sectional Study

BackgroundLiangshan prefecture of Sichuan province was an impoverished mountainous area in China, where the annual number of HIV-positive pregnant women accounted for approximately 10% of China’s total population in the decades before 2020. In general, pregnant women living here are likely to be physically and mentally different from those in other places.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pregnant women living with HIV in an impoverished area.MethodsFrom December 2018 to January 2019, HIV-positive and HIV-negative parturients within 18 months after delivery were recruited in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Questionnaires were designed to collect their demographic data, while the EuroQol 5-Dimension, 3-Level questionnaire was used to measure their HRQoL when they were in the second trimester from 4 to 6 months of pregnancy, and their quantitative health scores were converted to corresponding healthy utility values by using the Chinese Utility Value Integral System (time trade-off coefficient).ResultsA total of 250 pregnant women (133 HIV-positive and 117 HIV-negative) were enrolled in the study. Among them, 55 (41.35%) and 75 (64.10%) of HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women self-reported full health (healthy state 11111), respectively. The median health utility value of the 250 pregnant women was 0.961 (IQR –0.046 to 0.961), and those of the HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women were 0.875 (0.424-0.961) and 0.961 (IQR –0.046 to 0.961), respectively. We observed a significant difference only in the dimension of anxiety or depression between the two groups (P=.002) and no significant difference in the distribution of health utility indices between the two groups in terms of maternal age, education level, occupation, annual household income, prenatal care visits, family size, and medical insurance category. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, P<.05) and prenatal care visit (OR 0.29, P<.01) were independent risk factors for health status.ConclusionsMost pregnant women self-reported satisfactory HRQoL in this impoverished mountainous area. HIV-negative pregnant women had an edge over HIV-positive pregnant women, and there were significant differences in anxiety or depression dimensions between the two groups.     

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life of adults visiting emergency departments and primary care settings in Alberta

ObjectivesTo examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQL) of adults visiting emergency departments (ED) and primary care (PC) settings in Alberta, Canada, and explore whether this impact varies across demographic subgroups.MethodsData from two repeated cross-sectional surveys that measured HRQL using EQ-5D-5L were used; “pre-COVID” Sept 2019–Feb 2020 (ED, N=5927; PC, N=317), “Wave-1” Mar 2020–Aug 2020 (ED, N=4781; PC, N=375), and “Wave-2” Sept 2020–Jan 2021 (ED, N=4443; PC, N=327).ResultsIn the ED sample, there were decrements in mild–extreme problems of 3.7% in mobility and 4.1% in usual activities from pre-COVID to wave 2. There were very minor changes in mild–extreme problems in self-care (decrement=1.3%), pain/discomfort (decrement=2.6%), and anxiety/depression (decrement=0.9%). In the PC sample, there were increases of 4.8% in mild–extreme pain/discomfort and 10.7% in anxiety/depression from pre-COVID to wave 2. Despite these changes, HRQL of both samples pre-COVID and during waves 1 and 2 was worse than that of the general Alberta population. There were no significant variations in the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on HRQL across age, sex, and income subgroups in the ED survey; however, such variations were observed in the PC survey whereby younger adults, females, and those with high income had the largest HRQL deteriorations.ConclusionThe impact of COVID-19 pandemic on HRQL was minimal in adults seeking ED care, but more pronounced in those seen in PC, especially in terms of mental health. Policies around COVID-19 should take into account the needs of certain groups of the population, especially women and young people.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.17269/s41997-021-00606-4.     

海南省2型糖尿病患者生命质量评价与分析

目的 探讨海南省2型糖尿病患者生命质量及其影响因素,为有效提高糖尿病患者生命质量和制定防治策略提供参考依据。方法 本研究采用多阶段分层随机抽样,均衡地理、经济等情况选取海南省4个市县的糖尿病患者作为研究对象,使用二元logistic回归分析EQ-5D-5L量表中不同维度出现问题的影响因素,用Tobit回归分析海南省2型糖尿病患者生命质量的影响因素。结果 EQ-5D-5L中健康效用值中位数为0.907(0.782,1)。生命质量的五个维度中“疼痛或不舒服”(52.0%)和“焦虑或沮丧”(46.7%)维度存在问题占比较高。Tobit回归表明,年龄(β=-0.042,P<0.05)、婚姻状态(β=-0.030,P<0.01)、文化程度(β=0.039,P<0.01)、医保类型(β=0.071,P<0.01)、BMI值(β=0.049,P<0.01)、病程(β=-0.003,P<0.05)、疾病危害知晓情况(β=-0.075,P<0.000)、是否患有慢性肾脏疾病(β=0.076,P<0.05)、是否患有心力衰竭(β=0.132,P<0.0...     

EQ-5D-3L Norms for the European Older Population: Country-Specific Norms for 15 European Countires Based on the Survey of Health,Ageing, and Retirement in Europe

ObjectivesThis study presents a country-specific 3-level version of EQ-5D population norms for the European older population.MethodsNorm data were obtained from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, and determined, for each EQ-5D dimension, the EQ–visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) and EQ-5D index values by 7 age groups and sex for 15 European countries. The EQ-5D index values were calculated using the European VAS value set for all countries.ResultsData resulting from 50 013 older respondents (mean age 65.9 years, range 50-111 years, 55.6% women) revealed an increasing number of self-reported health problems on EQ-5D dimensions and decreasing EQ-VAS scores with increasing age and for women compared with men. There are notable differences between countries in terms of the age gradient, the proportion of respondents in full health, and sex. Across all age groups, problems with pain & discomfort are the most frequent (36%-73% any problems), whereas problems with self-care are the least frequent (3%-31% any problems). The mean EQ-VAS score is 71.2 and the mean European VAS score is 0.79.ConclusionsGiven the growing number of older adults and elderly people in Europe, these population norms provide a valuable source of reference data that can be used to compare older adults or patient subgroups to the average of the general elderly population in a similar age or sex group in 15 European countries. The index value results may be further used to assess the burden of disease across older European populations and to identify the unmet needs of targeted older patient populations.     

Analyzing the Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression Composite Domains and the Meaning of Discomfort in the EQ-5D: A Mixed-Methods Study

ObjectivesThe EQ-5D has 2 composite domains: pain/discomfort (PD) and anxiety/depression (AD). This study aims to explore how respondents use the composites to self-report health and what the meaning of discomfort is in the EQ-5D for the general public.MethodsBoth qualitative and quantitative data were collected in an online cross-sectional survey involving a nationally representative general population sample in Hungary (n = 1700). Respondents completed the 5-level version of EQ-5D, followed by the composites split into individual subdomains. Open-ended questions were asked to explore respondents’ interpretations and experiences of discomfort.ResultsSix different response behaviors were identified in the composites: “uniform” (21%-32%), “most severe” (30%-34%), “least severe” (16%-23%), “average” (2%-4%), “synergistic” (4%-5%), and “inconsistent” (13%-15%). Compared with the individual subdomains, many respondents under-reported their problems on both composites (PD 16%-22% and AD 6%-13%, P < .05). In respondents who scored differently in the 2 separate domains, mainly problems with the first subdomain determined responses in the composites (PD 66% and AD 61%). The discomfort subdomain in the EQ-5D captured more than 100 different problems, including pain, nonpain physical discomfort (eg, tiredness, dizziness, and nausea), and psychological discomfort (eg, anxiety, nervousness, and sadness). Women, older adults, and those in worse general health status more often considered discomfort as pain (P < .05).ConclusionsWe found empirical evidence of measurement error in the composite responses on the EQ-5D, including under- and inconsistent reporting, ordering effects, potential differential item functioning, and interdomain dependency. Our findings contribute new knowledge to the development of new and refinement of existing self-reported health status instruments, also beyond the EQ-5D.