title: Comparison of population health status in six european countries: results of a representative survey using the EQ-5D questionnaire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The EQ-5D questionnaire is an instrument for describing and valuing health states.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Research Unit, University of Leipzig, Germany. hans-helmut.koenig@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Hans-Helmut
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernert
authors.forename: Matthias C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matschinger
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vilagut
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Girolamo
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kovess
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult