Valuation of EQ-5D-5L health states: a comparison of seven Asian populations

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To compare the time trade-off (TTO) utility values of EQ-5D-5L health states elicited from different general populations in Asia.

Methods: We analyzed the TTO data from seven Asian EQ-5D-5L valuation studies in which utility values of 86 EQ-5D-5L health states were elicited from general population samples. An eight-parameter multiplicative regression model including five dimension parameters (mobility [MO], self-care, usual activities [UA], pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) and three level parameters (level 2 [L2], level 3 [L3], and level 4 [L4]) was used to model the data from each of the populations. The model coefficients were compared to understand how the valuations of EQ-5D-5L health states differ.

Results: For dimension parameters, Korea and Indonesia generally had the highest and lowest values among the populations, respectively; UA and MO commonly had the highest and lowest values among the parameters, respectively. For level parameters, Singapore and Korea generally had the highest and lowest values, respectively; L2 showed less variance compared to L3 and L4. Koreans, Indonesians, and Singaporeans appeared to have different health preferences compared with other populations.

Conclusion: Utility values of EQ-5D-5L health states differ among Asian populations, suggesting that each health system should establish and use its own value set.

KEYWORDS:

• EQ-5D
• comparison
• utility
• valuation
• Asia

Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the Health & Medical Research Fund from the Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) (grant number: HMRF11120491) and EuroQol Research Foundation.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Authors contribution

Pei Wang and Zhihao Yang analyzed the data; Pei Wang and Nan Luo drafted the manuscript; Gordon Liu, Minwoo JO, Fredric Dermawan Purba, Juntana Pattananphesaj, Jeonghoon Ahn, Eliza Lai-yi Wong, Asrul Shafie provided the valuation data in respective countries and contributed the interpretation of the results; Mihir Gandhi, Zhihao Yang, and Jan Busschbach commented on the drafts of the manuscript and/or edited the drafts of the manuscript; Nan Luo designed the study. Pei Wang acts as guarantor for the overall content.

Additional information

Funding

Jan Busschbach, Nan Luo and Zhihao Yang are members of the EuroQol Group. All authors received research grants from the EuroQol Research Foundation as principal or co-principal investigators.