The use of the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire in assessing the quality of life of military personnel

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of the quality of life of military personnel as the basis of the country's defense capability, there is currently no unified methodology for studying this indicator. One of the main factors limiting the use of many existing quality-of-life questionnaires is the medical and social characteristics of the military population, which initially imply a higher level of health of respondents, as well as a special ratio of the number of healthy to practically healthy and to those with chronic diseases. These factors determine the urgency of searching for easy-to-use and informative tools for assessing the quality of life of military personnel, allowing them to evaluate both the desired indicator and serve as an indicator of the effectiveness of interventions in the field of military health. AIM: To assess the quality of life, which is related to the health of military personnel using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. METHODS: In the course of a sociological study of the quality of life of military personnel in 2023, a questionnaire was conducted using EQ-5D-3L. The sample size was 500 observation units. The survey data were evaluated by the official methodology and compared with the data of the Russian population study. The analysis of variance using the Kraskel–Wallis criterion, a posteriori, and comparative analysis using the Mann–Whitney criterion were used. RESULTS: The negative dynamics of EQ-VAS with age and the absence of differences in assessment depending on the level of education were confirmed, at the same time, it was found that grades on this scale for secondary and higher education in military personnel were lower than in the Russian population. The proportion of respondents who indicated the health profile "11111" among military personnel turned out to be one and a half times higher than in the Russian population. Significant differences in the index of the health status of military personnel between some age groups have been established, as well as higher rates for single people compared with married respondents. CONCLUSION: The use of the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire will create normative indicators to describe the quality of life of military personnel, and will also contribute to the formation of health indices and weight coefficients for further analysis, evaluation of the effectiveness of clinical trials involving representatives of this social group. One of the main conclusions of the article is that the Internet is the most preferred source of health information for Russians today, especially for young people.