OBJECTIVES : We aimed to determine for the first time in Romania the value sets and normative scores for the Romanian versions of the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L.

METHODS : A three-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample representative of the general population in Romania with respect to age, sex and region (n=1,614). Interviews were computer assisted and conducted by trained interviewers in respondents’ homes from November 2018 to July 2019. The interviews were standardized following the most recent version of the EQ-VT protocol developed by the EuroQoL Foundation. The interview consisted of the EQ-5D-3L and 5L questionnaires, 13 composite time-trade-off (cTTO) tasks (ten for 5L and three for 3L version), seven discrete choice experiment questions (DCE) and a sociodemographic module. Econometric modelling was used to estimate values for all 3,125 possible health states described by the EQ-5D-5L and 243 states described by the EQ-5D-3L.

RESULTS : 527 interviews have been conducted up to May 2019. The average age was 49 (SD=16) and 41% of respondents were male. 71.7% of respondents reported having no problems in the mobility dimension, 86.3% in the self-care dimension and 77.2% in the usual activities domain. 51.6% of the sample reported no problems with pain/discomfort and 70% were neither depressed nor anxious. The mean value for the EQ-VAS was 81.4, SD=14.4. The preliminary model for EQ-5D-3L yielded values from 1 to -0.1, mean 0.55 (SD=0.2). The preliminary main effects hybrid model for EQ-5D-5L provided utility scores ranging from 0.33 (health state 55555) to 1 (health state 11111), mean 0.76 (SD=0.1).

CONCLUSIONS : These preliminary results can support reimbursement decisions in Romania and allow regional cross-country comparisons. Once completed, this study will provide the largest data set on health-related quality of life in Romania and lay a stepping stone in the development of a health-technology assessment process more driven by locally relevant data.