Feasibility, reliability, and validity of the EQ-5D-Y: results from a multinational study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the newly developed EQ-5D-Y.


METHODS
The EQ-5D-Y was administered in population samples of children and adolescents in Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. Percentages of missing values and reported problems were calculated. Test-retest reliability was determined. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients with other generic measures of HRQOL were calculated. Known groups' validity was examined by comparing groups with a priori expected differences in HRQOL.


RESULTS
Between 91 and 100% of the respondents provided valid scorings. Sweden had the lowest proportion of reported problems (1-24.9% across EQ-5D-Y dimensions), with the highest proportions in South Africa (2.8-47.3%) and Italy (4.3-39.0%). Percentages of agreement in test-retest reliability ranged between 69.8 and 99.7% in the EQ-5D-Y dimensions; Kappa coefficients were up to 0.67. Correlation coefficients with other measures of self-rated health indicated convergent validity (up to r = -0.56). Differences between groups classified according to presence of chronic conditions, self-rated overall health and psychological problems provided preliminary evidence of known groups' validity.


CONCLUSIONS
Results provide preliminary evidence of the instrument's feasibility, reliability and validity. Further study is required in clinical samples and for possible future applications in economic analyses.
Ravens-Sieberer
Ulrike
U
Department of Psychosomatics in Children and Adolescents, Research Unit Child Public Health, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. ravens-sieberer@uke.de
Wille
Nora
N
Badia
Xavier
X
Bonsel
Gouke
G
Burström
Kristina
K
Cavrini
Gulia
G
Devlin
Nancy
N
Egmar
Ann-Charlotte
AC
Gusi
Narcis
N
Herdman
Michael
M
Jelsma
Jennifer
J
Kind
Paul
P
Olivares
Pedro R
PR
Scalone
Luciana
L
Greiner
Wolfgang
W
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005060:Europe; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
BMJ. 1998 Mar 7;316(7133):736-41
9529408
J Health Soc Behav. 1997 Mar;38(1):21-37
9097506
Arch Dis Child. 2001 Mar;84(3):205-11
11207164
Ambul Pediatr. 2004 Jul-Aug;4(4 Suppl):371-6
15264962
Health Econ. 2011 Mar;20(3):348-61
21308856
Med Care. 2003 Feb;41(2):218-31
12555050
Psychol Bull. 1959 Mar;56(2):81-105
13634291
Health Econ. 2002 Oct;11(7):649-51; discussion 653-4
12369065
Biometrics. 1977 Mar;33(1):159-74
843571
Qual Life Res. 2010 Aug;19(6):875-86
20405245
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998 Sep;7(3):125-30
9826298
Ann Med. 2001 Jul;33(5):337-43
11491192
Med Care. 1999 Feb;37(2):126-39
10024117
Pharmacoeconomics. 2006;24(12):1199-220
17129075
Soc Sci Med. 2003 Apr;56(7):1595-604
12614708
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1997 Jul;38(5):581-6
9255702
Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2004 Nov 22;2:66
15555077
Psychol Bull. 1968 Oct;70(4):213-20
19673146
Qual Life Res. 2007 Oct;16(8):1347-56
17668292