Valuation of EQ-5D

An EQ-5D health state is the set of responses to the 5 dimensions of EQ-5D, as completed by a patient or respondent. For instance, a fairly healthy person may have an EQ-5D health state of 1-2-1-1-1. To convert an individual EQ-5D health state to a single summary index a value set is required.

Valuation research aims to measure people’s preferences with respect to health or, in other words, how health is valued. This involves the participation of a representative sample of people from the general population in a standardized valuation experiment. In the experiment, participants are asked to value health by reviewing EQ-5D health states. The result from the valuation study is a value set for that country/region. This is essentially a set of weights for each of the levels in the five EQ-5D dimensions. A large weight means that people in that country/region believe that a particular level of severity has a large impact on health-related quality of life. Using the set of weights, one can convert each EQ-5D health state into a single summary index value.

The EuroQol Group is actively involved in valuation research projects around the world. Various methods are being tested for the conversion of health states into a single index value. For the 5-level version of EQ-5D, a standardized experiment has been developed called EQ-VT. Since its inception, more than 30 value set studies have been started, please see the EQ-5D-5L Valuation: Standard Value Sets for more details. An international valuation protocol for the youth version of the instrument, EQ-5D-Y, was released in 2020. EQ-5D-Y value sets have already begun to be published and more than a dozen valuation studies are in development. Valuation research also continues to be published on the original 3-level version of EQ-5D, the EQ-5D-3L.

If you want more information on the valuation of EQ-5D, or if you seek permission or advice to conduct an EQ-5D valuation study, please contact the Executive Director.

(Version17NOV2021)