Abstract

Objectives

The EQ Health and Well-being (EQ-HWB) is an instrument designed to measure quality of life across health and social care. This study aimed to evaluate the responsiveness of the short version (EQ-HWB-9) in a Brazilian vulnerable population.

Methods

A pre- and postcohort design was used to evaluate the effects of a 6-month multidimensional social intervention. Data were collected at baseline and follow-up from 98 participants using an electronic questionnaire via REDCap, including official electronic versions of EQ-HWB-9, EQ-5D-5L, and the Perceived Change Scale. A single trained interviewer conducted all interviews. Known-groups comparisons and responsiveness were examined using descriptive statistics, paired tests (Wilcoxon and t tests), and subgroup analyses. Health index values were derived using validated scoring algorithms, including the UK value set for EQ-HWB-9 and the Brazilian EQ-5D-3L crosswalk for EQ-5D-5L.

Results

EQ-HWB-9 distinguished between groups with different health statuses and perceived changes. Significant improvements were observed from baseline to follow-up for EQ-HWB-9 and EQ-5D-5L (P Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores had increased but were not statistically significant (P = .152).

Conclusions

In this pre-post cohort, EQ-HWB-9 detected 6-month improvements across multiple domains during a multidimensional program in Brazil, suggesting utility for outcome monitoring while not permitting causal inference.