Crosswalk EQ-5D-5L Value Set for Slovenia.

Introduction: Due to the availability of the EQ-5D-5L instrument official translation into Slovenian its use is widespread in Slovenia. However, the health profiles obtained in many studies cannot be ascribed their appropriate values as the EQ-5D-5L value set does not yet exist in Slovenia. Our aim was to estimate an interim EQ-5D-5L value set for Slovenia using the crosswalk methodology developed by the EuroQol Group on the basis of the EQ-5D-3L Slovenian TTO value set. Our secondary aim was to compare the interim values obtained with the EQ-5D-3L Slovenian values.

Methods: To obtain a Slovenian interim EQ-5D-5L value set, we applied the crosswalk methodology developed by the EuroQol Group to the Slovenian EQ-5D-3L TTO value set. We examined the differences between values by comparing the mean 3L and 5L value scores and the distribution of values across all respondents.

Results: By definition, 3-level and 5-level versions have the same range (from 1 to -0.495) and a health state coded 22222 in the 3-level version corresponds to 33333 in the 5-level version. While the addition of a "slight" severity level (22222) in the 5-level version has a low informational value, the addition of a "severe" health state (44444) covers larger range of the scale. The 5-level version results in fewer health states being valued below 0 and above 0.8.

Conclusion: The EQ-5D-5L value set, based on the crosswalk methodology, should be used until a value set for the EQ-5D-5L is derived from preferences elicited directly from a representative sample of the Slovenian general population.