DISPARITIES IN SELF-REPORTED HEALTH STATUS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE EQ-5D DATASETS BETWEEN CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE AND WESTERN EUROPE
Author(s)
Selin Okcun, MSc1, Guvenc Kockaya, MSc, PhD, MD2, OZNUR SEYHUN, BSc, MFE, MSc2, Mustafa KURNAZ, MSc3.
1Health Economist, Econix Research, İstanbul, Turkey, 2Econix Research, Tallin, Estonia, 3Econix Research, İstanbul, Turkey.
1Health Economist, Econix Research, İstanbul, Turkey, 2Econix Research, Tallin, Estonia, 3Econix Research, İstanbul, Turkey.
OBJECTIVES: Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) data is pivotal for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) across Europe. However, applying Western European (WE) value sets or population norms to Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries may introduce bias due to significant socio-economic and cultural disparities. This study aims to compare EQ-5D population norms and dimension-specific health problems between CEE countries and major WE countries to evaluate the transferability of health utility data.
METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of publicly available EQ-5D population norm datasets derived from published national studies and EuroQol Group repositories. The analysis included representative general population samples from selected CEE countries (Turkey, Hungary, Poland) and WE countries (Germany, France, Italy). We compared the mean EQ-5D index values (utility scores) and the frequency of reported problems across the five dimensions, stratified by age groups to ensure comparability.
RESULTS: The analysis comprised data from 6 countries. Preliminary results indicate that mean EQ-5D index values in CEE countries are consistently lower compared to Western European counterparts. For instance, reported mean index values for the general population in Turkey and Hungary typically range between 0.83-0.85, whereas comparable populations in Germany and Italy report significantly higher values ranging from 0.88-0.93. Notably, the CEE population reported a higher prevalence of problems in the Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression dimensions. These differences persist even when adjusted for age, suggesting that cultural perception of health and healthcare accessibility factors significantly influence self-reported outcomes in the CEE region.
CONCLUSIONS: This comparative analysis highlights distinct variations in HRQoL profiles between CEE and Western European populations. Relying on Western proxies for CEE cost-effectiveness models may lead to inaccurate estimations of disease burden. These findings advocate for the strict use of local or regionally adapted population norms in HTA processes to ensure equitable healthcare resource allocation in Central and Eastern Europe.
METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of publicly available EQ-5D population norm datasets derived from published national studies and EuroQol Group repositories. The analysis included representative general population samples from selected CEE countries (Turkey, Hungary, Poland) and WE countries (Germany, France, Italy). We compared the mean EQ-5D index values (utility scores) and the frequency of reported problems across the five dimensions, stratified by age groups to ensure comparability.
RESULTS: The analysis comprised data from 6 countries. Preliminary results indicate that mean EQ-5D index values in CEE countries are consistently lower compared to Western European counterparts. For instance, reported mean index values for the general population in Turkey and Hungary typically range between 0.83-0.85, whereas comparable populations in Germany and Italy report significantly higher values ranging from 0.88-0.93. Notably, the CEE population reported a higher prevalence of problems in the Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression dimensions. These differences persist even when adjusted for age, suggesting that cultural perception of health and healthcare accessibility factors significantly influence self-reported outcomes in the CEE region.
CONCLUSIONS: This comparative analysis highlights distinct variations in HRQoL profiles between CEE and Western European populations. Relying on Western proxies for CEE cost-effectiveness models may lead to inaccurate estimations of disease burden. These findings advocate for the strict use of local or regionally adapted population norms in HTA processes to ensure equitable healthcare resource allocation in Central and Eastern Europe.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
HTA240
Topic
Health Technology Assessment
Topic Subcategory
Systems & Structure
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas