Devlin Nancy J, Xie Feng, Slaap Bernhard, Stolk Elly
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2025 Jul 24. doi: 10.1007/s40258-025-00989-2.
The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments developed by EuroQol, an international not-for-profit organisation, have earned a unique position in health economics and outcomes research. The original instrument, EQ-5D-3L, aimed to provide a concise, generic way of measuring and valuing HRQoL in adults that would enable broad comparability of HRQoL across populations and facilitate estimation of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). These goals remain central to efforts to develop new instruments; to strengthen methods and evidence in measuring and valuing HRQoL; and to expand the use of HRQoL evidence to improve decision making. These initiatives are facilitated by the EuroQol Research Foundation's funding of research and provision of support for instrument users; the commitment of an international community of researchers; and the support of a professional staff team. This paper provides an overview of EuroQol's current suite of instruments: EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L (for adults) and EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L (for children) and key elements of its current research agenda. We summarise research underway to expand measurement to very young children (EQ-TIPS), and to expand what is measured (the EuroQol Health and Wellbeing instrument EQ-HWB; and the EQ-5D Bolt-on Toolbox). Research is also generating new valuation methods-such as the development of discrete choice experiment methods that incorporate duration and account for time preference-and strengthening the application of instruments, e.g., to monitor population health and health inequalities (EQ-DAPHNIE). We conclude by highlighting ongoing challenges and their implications for the future of measurement and valuation of HRQoL.
由国际非营利组织欧洲生活质量研究与开发协会(EuroQol)开发的健康相关生活质量(HRQoL)工具,在健康经济学和结果研究领域占据了独特地位。最初的工具EQ-5D-3L旨在提供一种简洁、通用的方法来测量和评估成年人的健康相关生活质量,以便能够在不同人群之间广泛比较健康相关生活质量,并促进质量调整生命年(QALYs)的估算。这些目标仍然是开发新工具、加强测量和评估健康相关生活质量的方法及证据,以及扩大使用健康相关生活质量证据以改善决策等工作的核心。欧洲生活质量研究基金会对研究的资助以及为工具使用者提供的支持、国际研究团体的投入,还有专业工作人员团队的支持,都推动了这些举措的开展。本文概述了欧洲生活质量研究与开发协会目前的一系列工具:EQ-5D-3L和EQ-5D-5L(用于成年人)以及EQ-5D-Y-3L和EQ-5D-Y-5L(用于儿童),并介绍了其当前研究议程的关键要素。我们总结了正在进行的研究,这些研究旨在将测量范围扩大到非常年幼的儿童(EQ-TIPS),并扩展测量内容(欧洲生活质量健康与幸福工具EQ-HWB;以及EQ-5D附加工具箱)。研究还在产生新的评估方法,例如开发纳入持续时间并考虑时间偏好的离散选择实验方法,以及加强工具的应用,例如用于监测人群健康和健康不平等(EQ-DAPHNIE)。我们最后强调了当前面临的挑战及其对未来健康相关生活质量测量和评估的影响。