Why was the EQ-5D-Y-5L introduced?

The EQ-5D-Y-5L provides respondents with a greater range of response options than the EQ-5D-Y-3L allowing them to describe their health more precisely. Expanding the number of severity response levels in each dimension reduces ceiling effects and improves the sensitivity of the measure in some conditions. 

The five-level structure of the EQ-5D-Y-5L is also more comparable to the adult EQ-5D-5L, which leads to a smoother transition between youth and adult instruments, for example when monitoring health-related quality of life in longitudinal studies and moving from paediatric to adult populations.

Having two versions of EQ-5D-Y available provides researchers with a wider choice of tools, allowing them to select the version which best meets their study needs and which is best adapted to local conditions.