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Comparative Study
. 2025 Mar;28(3):449-459.
doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2024.12.003. Epub 2024 Dec 27.

The Psychometric Properties of the EQ-HWB and EQ-HWB-S in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Comparative Analysis With EQ-5D-5L, FACT-8D, and SWEMWBS

Stevanus Pangestu  1 , Fredrick Dermawan Purba  2 , Hari Setyowibowo  3 , Yohana Azhar  4 , Clara Mukuria  5 , Fanni Rencz  6
Affiliations
Free article
Comparative Study

The Psychometric Properties of the EQ-HWB and EQ-HWB-S in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Comparative Analysis With EQ-5D-5L, FACT-8D, and SWEMWBS

Stevanus Pangestu et al. Value Health. 2025 Mar.
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: The EQ Health and Wellbeing (EQ-HWB) is a new generic measure that captures constructs beyond health-related quality of life, with a 25-item long form and a shorter 9-item version (EQ-HWB-S). This study aimed to assess the psychometric performance of both versions in breast cancer, which is the most prevalent cancer worldwide, and compare them with other instruments.

Methods: A longitudinal survey in Indonesia (2023-2024) with 300 female patients used the EQ-HWB, 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (from which Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Eight Dimension [FACT-8D] was derived), and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS, from which the Short WEMWBS was derived). Distributional characteristics, convergent validity, known-group validity (Student's t test or analysis of variance), test-retest reliability, and responsiveness were assessed.

Results: All patients reported problems in at least 1 EQ-HWB item. The EQ-HWB-S index (11%) had a lower ceiling than the EQ-5D-5L (35%) and the Short WEMWBS (15.3%), but not the FACT-8D (5%). EQ-HWB-S index values correlated strongly with EQ-5D-5L (r = 0.73) and FACT-8D index values (r = 0.70), whereas EQ-HWB level sum scores correlated strongly with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (r = 0.69) and moderately with WEMWBS (r = 0.49). The EQ-HWB and EQ-HWB-S discriminated across known groups comparably with the EQ-5D-5L and FACT-8D with large effect sizes according to EuroQol visual analog scale groups, number of symptoms, and general health and exhibited excellent instrument-level test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations, 0.79-0.83) and acceptable responsiveness (standardized response means, |0.24| to |0.97|).

Conclusions: This study represents one of the first validations of the EQ-HWB and EQ-HWB-S in any clinical population. Both instrument versions demonstrate robust psychometric performance. The EQ-HWB-S can be recommended to inform resource allocation decisions of breast cancer treatments.

Keywords: EQ-5D; EQ-HWB; FACT-G; breast cancer; health-related quality of life; psychometrics; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Disclosures Drs Purba, Mukuria, and Rencz are members of the EuroQol Group. Views expressed in the article are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the EuroQol Research Foundation. Author disclosure forms can be accessed below in the Supplemental Material section.

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