Frequently Asked Questions

What is EQ-5D ?

EQ-5D is a generic measure of health status developed by an international network of researchers (the EuroQoL Group http://www.euroqol.org).

EQ-5D defines health in terms of 5 dimensions or attributes

For more information about EQ-5D visit the EuroQoL Group website or contact Quality Outcomes directly

What is meant by "health status" ?

Health is a concept. We cannot see it or touch it. It is a property that we possess / display.

Health can and does vary. We are sometimes more or less "healthy" than at other times.

There are some things about a person (such as the oxygen content in their blood, their body temperature or blood pressure) that we can observe and measure directly. This type of information is useful in describing a person but it does not tell us anything about how healthy they are.

Health status measures (such as the EQ-5D used in this survey) enable us to quantify a person's health.

What will my data be used for ?

The information that you provide about your health will be stored with similar data collected from everyone else who takes part in this survey.

By asking a little bit about everybody who takes part we can build up a better picture about the health status of people on average.

That knowledge allows us to give you an idea about how your health compares with other people's. But it also means that we know more about the health status of people with particular conditions or diseases.

Having that information is particularly important because it provides us with knowledge that we have not had before.