Evaluation of health-related quality of life using EQ-5D in Takamatsu, Japan

Abstract

Objectives Healthy Japan 21 (Japanese National Health Promotion in the 21st Century) was started in 2000 to promote extension of healthy life expectancy and improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The present study aims to describe HRQOL of Japanese subjects using the EuroQol questionnaire (EQ-5D) and investigate the influence of social background, health-related behaviors, and chronic conditions on HRQOL using representatives in Takamatsu, Japan. Methods Data were obtained from a 2005 Takamatsu City health survey mailed to 2,500 randomly selected Japanese individuals in Takamatsu, a medium-sized city. We examined data from 915 Japanese adults. The questionnaire addressed social background, health-related behaviors, chronic conditions, EQ-5D items, and self-rated health. The impact of social background, health-related behaviors, and chronic conditions on Japanese HRQOL was examined through multivariate regression, adjusting for age and sex. Results EQ-5D scores decreased with age, particularly for respondents who were unemployed or retired. Adjusting for sex and age, the results showed that age, unemployment/ retirement, feeling severe stress, and musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal diseases were significantly associated with decreased HRQOL. Conversely, sufficient sleep (7-8 h/day) and having a hobby were significantly associated with increased HRQOL. Conclusions Information is lacking regarding HRQOL in Japanese populations. This study furthers our understanding of some important determinants influencing Japanese HRQOL, using the EQ-5D in Takamatsu, Japan. Our results also resembled some findings from similar studies in other countries. We hope to use the EQ-5D with other health survey questionnaires to gather more data about HRQOL of Japanese people.

Health-related quality of life and self-reported long-term conditions: a population-based survey

“…Our results are consistent with those of previous studies in the literature, which have described depression as a major factor, along with chronic diseases, associated with reduced QoL. 9,12,22,23 Population-based surveys 10,11,[23][24][25] using the EQ-5D instrument have detected an impact for diabetes, depression, and respiratory disorders. Even though the impact for respiratory disorders was not significant in the present study, our structured questionnaire included a large spectrum of self-reported respiratory conditions (asthma, bronchitis, or any other respiratory disorder), which could hypothetically explain this difference in relation to other populationbased studies.…”

“…25 In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, the associated factors are also consistent with those reported by other studies, reflecting changes in the perception of individuals regarding their HRQoL. 7,9,10,22 For the findings about living in the satellite towns, we could hypothesize that the disparities are enhanced by more precarious urban infrastructure, lower incomes, higher levels of violence, and commuting time, considering that more than half of the residents do not work in the area where they live. 27 One strength of the present study is that the HRQoL of adults living in Brasília was measured by a tool validated for the Brazilian context.…”

“…5 Because it is able to capture individual perceptions of physical and social well-being within the context of each population, HRQoL may serve as a guide for planning and evaluating health policies aimed at improving health and reducing inequity. 6 In addition to sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender, age, education, employment, and income, [7][8][9] depression and a number of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune diseases have been negatively associated with QoL. [10][11][12] In Brazil as well as in other developing countries, the phenomenon of population aging, associated with reduced morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, has boosted the potential burden of chronic diseases, 13 with major implications for HRQoL.…”

Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life of Chinese Adults in Heilongjiang Using EQ-5D-3L

“…We also added regular weekly physical activities (≥1 per week moderate or vigorous exercises), a lifestyle indicator, into the analyses, which has been commonly used in HRQOL studies [41]. …”

“…Population norms for the EQ-5D-3L index scores have been reported in the USA [31], Switzerland [32], Demark [33], Portugal [34], Australia [35], Taiwan [36], Singapore [37,38], Sri Lanka [39], and Japan [40,41]. No population norms for the EQ-5D-3L index scores have been reported in China.…”