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EQ-5D in a general population survey – A description of the most commonly reported EQ-5D health states using the SF-36

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Abstract

The importance of studying health-related quality of life in the general population has increasingly been emphasized. From a public health perspective, this benefits the identification of population inequalities in health status. One of the currently most popular instruments is the EQ-5D. Evaluations of the EQ-5D generally focus on the overall preference-based index. As this index has a built-in value, exploration of the information from the underlying health states is also important. In this study, the ten most commonly reported EQ-5D health states are described using the SF-36. Data collected in 1999 by questionnaires mailed to a random sample aged 20–74 in south-eastern Sweden were used (n = 9489). Almost 43% reported the best possible EQ-5D health state and 78% were accounted for by three EQ-5D health states. The EQ-5D health state classification was largely reflected by the SF-36, with the EQ-5D items mobility, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression tapping most clearly on the SF-36 scales physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health problems, bodily pain, and mental health, respectively. However, within the same level of EQ-5D (i.e., moderate problems) there was a rather large variation of SF-36 scale scores, particularly regarding the EQ-5D item pain/discomfort and the SF-36 scale BP.

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Abbreviations

BP:

Pain

GH:

General Health

95% CI:

95 percent Confidence Interval

HRQoL:

Health-Related Quality of Life

MH:

Mental Health

PF:

Physical Functioning

Pop:

population

QALY:

Quality Adjusted Life Year

RE:

Role limitations due to Emotional problems

RP:

Role limitations due to Physical problems

SD:

Standard Deviation

SF:

Social Functioning

VT:

Vitality/energy

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation, Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, Linköping, SE-581 85, Sweden

    A. Nordlund

  2. Centre for Public Health Sciences, County Council of Östergötland, Sweden

    K. Ekberg, M. Kristenson & Linquest Group

  3. Division of Social Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, Sweden

    M. Kristenson

Authors
  1. A. Nordlund
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  2. K. Ekberg
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  3. M. Kristenson
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  4. Linquest Group
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Nordlund.

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Nordlund, A., Ekberg, K., Kristenson, M. et al. EQ-5D in a general population survey – A description of the most commonly reported EQ-5D health states using the SF-36. Qual Life Res 14, 1099–1109 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-004-3062-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-004-3062-2

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