Measuring inequality in quality of life: further evidence that the EQ-5D-5L may underestimate it

Abstract

Purpose: A previous study found that individuals with identical EQ-5D-5L profiles reported systematically higher EQ VAS scores with increasing educational attainment, which suggests a ‘hidden’ socioeconomic gradient not captured by the EQ-5D-5L. This study examines the robustness and generalisability of these findings using multi-country data. Methods: We analysed data from 32,327 respondents aged 25 to 79 years across eight high-income countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. The data came from the EQ-DAPHNIE study. Within ten selected EQ-5D-5L health profiles, we used linear regression models to estimate the associations between EQ VA..