EQ-5D-5L Population Norms for Italy

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to provide normative data obtained in response to the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire in Italy and compare this with data from other countries. Methods A sample of the Italian adult population (aged ≥ 18 years) was recruited and interviewed online using videoconferencing software (Zoom) between November 2020 and February 2021. The distribution of answers was estimated as per the descriptive system of the EQ-5D-5L, and descriptive statistics were calculated for the EQ VAS score and EQ-5D-5L index value in the whole sample and relevant subgroups. An ordinary least square (OLS) regression was performed to evaluate the impact of sociodemographic variables on EQ-5D-5L results. Lastly, a comparison was made with EQ-5D-5L population norms of other countries. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Stata 13. Results Overall, 1182 people representative of the Italian population (2020) in terms of sex and geographical area responded to the survey. Of the 3125 potential EQ-5D-5L health states, only 106 (3.4%) were selected, and the ‘11111’ and ‘11112’ states were chosen by half of the participants. In terms of EQ-5D-5L dimensions, the frequency of any problems (from slight to extreme) associated with anxiety and depression was high among the very young (18–24 years, 56.0%) and in women of all ages (49.7%). The mean index value (± standard deviation [SD]) was 0.93 (± 0.11) for the entire sample and gradually decreased with age, moving from 0.95 (± 0.06) in the youngest group (18–24 years) to 0.91 (± 0.13) in the oldest age group (≥ 75 years). Similarly, the mean EQ VAS score (± SD) was 81.8 (± 13.5), and decreased from 87.0 (± 8.9) in the 18–24 years age group to 75.1 (± 16.4) among participants > 75 years of age. The existence of self-reported chronic conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease), female sex, and social assistance recipiency were negatively associated with the EQ-5D index value, while the EQ VAS score was significantly lower in people with chronic conditions and aged > 55 years. Conversely, higher income levels had a positive impact on both the EQ-5D index value and the EQ VAS score. Lastly, both the EQ-5D index value and EQ VAS score in Italy were, on average, higher than in most European countries. Conclusions EQ-5D-5L population norms provide useful insights into the health status of the Italian population and can be used as a reference for other surveys using the same instrument. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40258-022-00772-7.

Australian population norms for health-related quality of life measured using the EQ-5D–5L, and relationships with sociodemographic characteristics

“…This study found that HRQoL increased with age category. The opposite trend has been reported in many settings, with HRQoL (utility scores) generally decreasing as age increases, such as in Vietnam [ 24 ], Italy [ 19 ], Portugal [ 33 ], South Australia [ 25 ] and Poland [ 21 ]. As the data were weighted to the Australian population, this is unlikely to be due to a sample error.…”

“…This method requires non-negative values, therefore the disutility value (disutility = 1-utility value) was entered as the dependent variable [ 24 ]. Based on recently reported EQ-5D-5L population norms, it was hypothesised that older people and females were expected to have higher disutility scores and were entered first in the GLM (Model 1) [ 19 , 33 , 34 ]. Analyses were conducted using R studio and IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0 [ 35 , 36 ].…”

“…The EQ-5D-5L population norms and sociodemographic characteristics have been reported and validated in many countries such as Germany [ 17 ], Italy [ 18 , 19 ], Japan [ 20 ], Poland [ 21 ], Spain [ 22 ], Uruguay [ 23 ], Vietnam [ 24 ] and the United Kingdom (UK) [ 11 ]. Although population norms for EQ-5D-5L have been developed for South Australia [ 25 ], none have been created for the general Australian population.…”

Developmental outcomes in Italian young cancer survivors: The effect of lack of social support in physical activity practice on quality of life and mental health

“…The standardized Italian version of the EuroQoL (EQ‐5D‐5L) (Meregaglia, Malandrini, Finch, Ciani, & Jommi, 2023) was used to assess the quality of life in young cancer survivors. It is made up of five questions assessing five dimensions (mobility, self‐care, usual activity, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression) and one item on a visual analogue scale for self‐rating scale.…”

Behind the Scenes: A Qualitative Investigation of Interviewers' Performance in EQ-5D Valuation Studies

“…This study was conducted as part of the larger Italian EQ-5D-5L valuation study [ 11 , 12 ] approved by the Ethics Committee of Bocconi University in October 2020 (approval number: 2020-SA000136.4). In the Italian valuation study, 1183 interviews were collected between October 2020 and February 2021 by 11 interviewers via videoconferencing administration, following the EQ-VT protocol [ 13 ].…”