Comparison of Population Health Status in Six European Countries

Results of a Representative Survey Using the EQ-5D Questionnaire

Bibliographic Data

ID9103702
AuthorsHans-Helmut König, Hans‐helmut König (0000-0001-5711-6862, Mutuelle Générale de l'Éducation Nationale, corresponding author), Sebastian Bernert (0000-0002-8421-8263, Leipzig University), Matthias C Angermeyer (Leipzig University), Herbert Matschinger (0000-0001-7146-6770, Leipzig University), Montse Martinez (0000-0003-3017-5541, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública), Gemma Vilagut (0000-0002-3714-226X, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública), Josep Maria Haro (0000-0002-3984-277X, Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation), Giovanni De Girolamo (0000-0002-1611-8324), Ron De Graaf (0000-0002-0878-0369, Trimbos Institute), Viviane Kovess-Masféty (0000-0001-7045-6175, Mutuelle Générale de l'Éducation Nationale, corresponding author), Viviane Kovess, Jordi Alonso (0000-0001-8627-9636, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública)
Year2009
Volume47
Issue2
Pages255-261
Publication date2009-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e318184759e
PMID19169128
OpenAlexW1996298284
LanguageEN
Citations received38
References cited16

BACKGROUND: The EQ-5D questionnaire is an instrument for describing and valuing health states. OBJECTIVES: To compare general population health status measured by the EQ-5D in 6 European countries. METHODS: In the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders representative population samples in Belgium (n = 2411), France (n = 2892), Germany (n = 3552), Italy (n = 4709), the Netherlands (n = 2367), and Spain (n = 5473) completed the EQ-5D as part of personal computer-based home interviews in 2001 to 2003. RESULTS: Of all respondents, 35.1% reported problems in one or more EQ-5D dimensions, most frequently pain/discomfort (28.5%), followed by mobility (13.6%), usual activities (10.5%), anxiety/depression (8.0%), and self-care (3.6%). Proportions of respondents reporting any problems differed significantly between countries, ranging from 26.6% in Spain to 44.5% in France. Mean EQ VAS score was 77.1, ranging from 75.0 in Spain to 82.0 in the Netherlands. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the proportion of respondents reporting problems in any of the EQ-5D dimensions was significantly higher in France and lower in Spain and Italy than the grand mean. Even after controlling for reported EQ-5D health states, mean EQ VAS scores were significantly higher in the Netherlands and lower in Spain than the grand mean. Age, female gender, low educational level, lack of paid employment, and low income were associated with more problems in most of the EQ-5D dimensions and lower EQ VAS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported EQ-5D health status differed considerably between countries, calling for caution when making international comparisons of disease burden and health care effectiveness

Anxiety · Depression (economics) · Environmental health · EQ-5D · Health related quality of life · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Sociology · Demography · Epidemiology · Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life · Medicine · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Gerontology

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