Author:

Keywords:

1117 Public Health and Health Services, Public Health, 4202 Epidemiology, 4204 Midwifery, 4206 Public health

Abstract:

The EuroQol valuation instrument is an internationally standardised instrument for the measurement of health state preferences in the general public. The EuroQol valuation instrument, or the EQ-5D, has never been tested in a Belgian population. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the feasibility, consistency and reliability of using the EQ-5D valuation instrument in the Belgian population on the basis of a survey in a Belgian sub-population. The questionnaire was distributed to 274 health care workers. Feasibility was assessed by response rate, perception of difficulty, and time needed to fill out the questionnaire. For consistency, examined was whether pairs of health states with an inherent logical order were valued accordingly. Valuations of states appearing twice in the questionnaire were compared to evaluate reliability. Given the non-normality of the data, non-parametric tests were used for statistical analyses. A response rate of 49% was obtained. Average consistency was 97.33%. Reliability ranged from 70 to 80%. Given the higher response rate and the higher level of consistency in our sample of health professionals as compared to results from population surveys in other countries, we conclude that it is worthwhile to use the EQ-5D valuation questionnaire in Belgium to derive social health state preference values from the general public.