EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D): an instrument for measuring quality of life

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to provide a detailed description of the EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) useful for those member of staff in rehabilitation setting who wish to use it properly. EQ-5D is an instrument which evaluates the generic quality of life developed in Europe and widely used. The EQ-5D descriptive system is a preference-based HRQL measure with one question for each of the five dimensions that include mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The answers given to ED-5D permit to find 243 unique health states or can be converted into EQ- 5D index an utility scores anchored at 0 for death and 1 for perfect health. The EQ-5D questionnaire also includes a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), by which respondents can report their perceived health status with a grade ranging from 0 (the worst possible health status) to 100 (the best possible health status). Finally the specific utility (in clinical and research setting) of each one of them is discussed.