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Population norms for the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L in Romania

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Elena OlariuORCiD, Professor Luke ValeORCiD, Dr Yemi Oluboyede

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2023, The Author(s).Background: The majority of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) don’t have population norms in Romania. This is the case with the EQ-5D as well. Therefore, we aimed to estimate population norms for the Romanian versions of the EQ-5D-5L, EQ-5D-3L, their indexes, and the EQ-VAS. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in all regions of Romania from November 2018 to November 2019. A three-stage probability sampling procedure stratified by region and settlement size was used to select a representative sample. Interviews were computer-assisted and conducted in respondents’ homes by trained interviewers. Health status was assessed with the EQ-5D-5L, the EQ-5D-3L and the EQ VAS. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate population norms by age groups and sex for the EQ-5D-5L, the EQ-5D-3L, their indexes and the EQ VAS. Population norms were weighted using survey weights. Indexes for the EQ-5D questionnaires were estimated using the recently developed Romanian value sets. Results: Data from 1,649 interviews was analysed in the present study. Survey weights were used so that sex and place of residence ratios for the weighted sample matched the Romanian general population distribution. Participants’ mean age was 47.4 years (SE = 1.157) and 50.3% of them reported being in good health. The dimension for which people reported the highest number of problems for both questionnaires was the pain/discomfort dimension. Men aged 35 plus reported fewer problems with pain/discomfort than women for both the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L. Health decreased with age as shown by the decrease from age group 18–24 to age group 75 plus in the indexes of both questionnaires: from 0.977 (SE = 0.005) to 0.765 (SE = 0.017) for EQ-5D-5L and from 0.981 (SE = 0.005) to 0.784 (SE = 0.019) for EQ-5D-3L. There was 29.9 points drop in the EQ VAS score between the youngest and oldest group. Conclusions: Population norms for the Romanian versions of the EQ-5D-5L, EQ-5D-3L, their indexes, and the EQ VAS are now available. These can now be used as reference values by healthcare professionals, researchers and decision-makers leading to a further development of health-related quality of life research in Romania.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Olariu E, Caplescu R, Vale L, Niculescu-Aron IG, Oluboyede Y, Paveliu MS

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Year: 2023

Volume: 21

Issue: 1

Print publication date: 01/12/2023

Online publication date: 29/07/2023

Acceptance date: 05/06/2023

Date deposited: 11/09/2023

ISSN (electronic): 1477-7525

Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd

URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-023-02144-8

DOI: 10.1186/s12955-023-02144-8

Data Access Statement: The data used for this manuscript are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

PubMed id: 37507760


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
748612European Commission
European Union Horizon 2020
EuroQol Research Foundation
Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant
POCA 2014–2020
Romanian Operational Programme “Administrative Capacity”

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