Examining the impact of 11 long-standing health conditions on health-related quality of life using the EQ-5D in a general population sample

Abstract

Objectives Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures have been increasingly used in economic evaluations for policy guidance. We investigate the impact of 11 self-reported long-standing health conditions on HRQoL using the EQ-5D in a UK sample.MethodsWe used data from 13,955 patients in the South Yorkshire Cohort study collected between 2010 and 2012 containing the EQ-5D, a preference-based measure. Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and two-part regression analyses were undertaken to estimate the impact of 11 long-standing health conditions on HRQoL at the individual level.ResultsThe results varied significantly with the regression models employed. In the OLS and Tobit models, pain had the largest negative impact on HRQoL, followed by depression, osteoarthritis and anxiety/nerves, after controlling for all other conditions and sociodemographic characteristics. The magnitude of coefficients was higher in the Tobit model than in the OLS model. In the two-part model, these four long-standing health conditions were statistically significant, but the magnitude of coefficients decreased significantly compared to that in the OLS and Tobit models and was ranked from pain followed by depression, anxiety/nerves and osteoarthritis.ConclusionsPain, depression, osteoarthritis and anxiety/nerves are associated with the greatest losses of HRQoL in the UK population. The estimates presented in this article should be used to inform economic evaluations when assessing health care interventions, though improvements can be made in terms of diagnostic information and obtaining longitudinal data.

Health-related quality of life and self-reported long-term conditions: a population-based survey

“…Our results are consistent with those of previous studies in the literature, which have described depression as a major factor, along with chronic diseases, associated with reduced QoL. 9,12,22,23 Population-based surveys 10,11,[23][24][25] using the EQ-5D instrument have detected an impact for diabetes, depression, and respiratory disorders. Even though the impact for respiratory disorders was not significant in the present study, our structured questionnaire included a large spectrum of self-reported respiratory conditions (asthma, bronchitis, or any other respiratory disorder), which could hypothetically explain this difference in relation to other populationbased studies.…”

“…25 In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, the associated factors are also consistent with those reported by other studies, reflecting changes in the perception of individuals regarding their HRQoL. 7,9,10,22 For the findings about living in the satellite towns, we could hypothesize that the disparities are enhanced by more precarious urban infrastructure, lower incomes, higher levels of violence, and commuting time, considering that more than half of the residents do not work in the area where they live. 27 One strength of the present study is that the HRQoL of adults living in Brasília was measured by a tool validated for the Brazilian context.…”

“…6 In addition to sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender, age, education, employment, and income, [7][8][9] depression and a number of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune diseases have been negatively associated with QoL. [10][11][12] In Brazil as well as in other developing countries, the phenomenon of population aging, associated with reduced morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, has boosted the potential burden of chronic diseases, 13 with major implications for HRQoL. 14 Many instruments have been developed to measure HRQoL, 4 among which the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) system.…”

The prevalence of pain and its relationship to falls, fatigue, and depression in a cohort of older people living in the community

“…For older people the experience of pain has a considerable impact on autonomy and independence in undertaking activities of daily living (Jakobsson, Hallberg, & Westergren, ); quality of life (Wu et al., ); disability (Eggermont et al., ; Silva, Queiros, Cerqueira, & Rocha, ); activity restriction (Mackichan, Adamson, & Gooberman‐Hill, ); increased morbidity (van Hecke, Torrance, & Smith, ); and mortality (Torrance, Elliott, Lee, & Smith, ). Pain imposes considerable burden on older people, their families and the healthcare system.…”

Effects of Osteoarthritis Pain and Concurrent Insomnia and Depression on Health Care Use in a Primary Care Population of Older Adults

“…The number of patients with OA is expected to increase during the coming years in many countries, because life expectancy is also increasing, and OA differentially affects older adults (2). Nevertheless, the burden of OA is related not only to its major impact on lowering quality of life but also to the heavy economic costs associated with the disease in individuals and health care systems (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Common health care use associated with OA includes office visits, hospitalization, outpatient and inpatient costs, and surgical procedures (e.g., joint replacements).…”