OBJECTIVES : To explore the capability of well-being of individuals with musculoskeletal (MSK) health problems in the general population as measured by the ICEpop CAPability measure for Adults (ICECAP-A) / Older people (ICECAP-O).

METHODS : A cross-sectional computer-assisted personal interview survey was performed in 2019 involving a representative sample of the Hungarian population. ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O was applied for age groups 18-64 and 65 and older, respectively. MSK problems were assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), EQ-5D-5L and by the relevant questions (walking problems, self-reported MSK diagnosis) of the European Health Interview Survey. Subgroup comparisons were carried out by ANOVA tests and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between continuous variables. Ordinary least square regression analyses were performed to explore the determinants of well-being capabilities.

RESULTS : Altogether 1568 (mean age 41.6) and 453 (mean age 73.3) respondents participated in the two age-groups. The average ICECAP-A/-O scores were 0.894 (SD=0.126) and 0.828 (SD=0.150), and the mean HAQ-DI scores were 0.052 (SD=0.253) and 0.463 (SD=0.586), respectively. Correlations between the HAQ-DI score and both ICECAP-A/-O scores were moderate, but it was bordering to high in the case of ICECAP-O. Both the ICECAP-A/-O index scores differed significantly across subgroups defined by self-reported MSK health problems. Also, both ICECAP-A/-O scores were lower in the subgroup with self-reported MSK diagnosis. HAQ-DI showed similar tendency, especially in hip and knee arthrosis. Regression results indicated that HAQ-DI scores were significantly (negatively) associated with ICECAP-A/-O scores. However, when EQ-5D-5L index and EQ VAS were included in the models, the HAQ-DI score was no longer significant.

CONCLUSIONS : Individuals with MSK health problems have significantly worse well-being capabilities than those without. The HAQ-DI index can be used as a proxy to estimate ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O scores in case of lack of data, however the EQ-5D-5L performs better for that purpose.