Psychometric assessment of EQ-5D-5L and ReQoL measures in patients with anxiety and depression: construct validity and responsiveness

PURPOSE: Generic health measures have been questioned for quantifying mental-health-related outcomes. In patients with anxiety and/or depression, our aim is to assess the psychometric properties of the preference-based EQ-5D-5L (generic health) and ReQoL-UI (recovery-focussed quality of life) for economic evaluation against the PHQ-9 (depression) and GAD-7 (anxiety). EQ-5D-5L anxiety/depression item and ReQoL-10 are also assessed. METHODS: A 2:1 (intervention: control) randomised controlled trial collected measures at baseline and 8 weeks post baseline; in the intervention arm, data were also collected 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post baseline. EQ-5D-5L preference-based scores were obtained from the value set for England (VSE) and ‘cross-walked’ EQ-5D-3L United Kingdom (UK) value set scores. ReQoL-UI preference-based scores were obtained from its UK value set as applied to seven ReQoL-10 items. EQ-5D-5L and ReQoL measures’ construct validity and responsiveness were assessed compared against PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores and group cut-offs. RESULTS: 361 people were randomised to intervention (241) or control (120). ReQoL-UI/-10 had better construct validity with depression severity than the EQ-5D-5L (VSE/cross-walk scores), which had relatively better construct validity with anxiety severity than the ReQoL-UI/-10. Across all intervention-arm time-points relative to baseline, responsiveness was generally better for EQ-5D-5L (VSE in particular) than ReQoL-UI, but worse than ReQoL-10. CONCLUSION: There is insufficient evidence to recommend the ReQoL-UI over EQ-5D-5L for economic evaluations to capture anxiety severity. However, there may be rationale for recommending the ReQoL-UI over the EQ-5D-5L to capture depression severity given its better construct validity, albeit poorer responsiveness, and if recovery-focussed quality of life relative to condition-specific symptomology is the construct of interest. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11136-021-02833-1.