Psychometric Performance of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6DV2 in Measuring Health Status of Populations in Chinese University Staff and Students

The study compared the measurement properties of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6DV2 health utility scores (HUS) among 291 staff and 183 students at Chinese universities. The results showed that both instruments have acceptable measurement properties, including convergent validity, known-groups validity, and sensitivity. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between the two HUSs were moderate, with EQ-5D-5L generally yielding higher scores. Strong correlations were found between similar dimensions of the two instruments, such as pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Both HUSs were more sensitive than the EQ-VAS score in distinguishing between groups with different health conditions, but neither was superior overall. The study concluded that while both instruments are valid, they cannot be used interchangeably due to their distinct advantages in sensitivity.