Inviting expressions of interest to conduct an EQ-VT study for the EQ-HWB-9.

EuroQol’s Executive Committee seeks to commission an EQ-VT study for the EQ-HWB-9. Interested parties are invited to submit an expression of interest to conduct this study to Bram Roudijk by 20 October 2025.

Mukuria et al (2023) conducted the first feasibility study of using EQ-VT for valuing the EQ-HWB-9. However, since the publication of that study, the labels of the EQ-HWB-9 have been modified. In addition, the Executive Committee calls for further testing of EQ-VT for valuation of EQ-HWB-9 so as not to rely on a single study with a relatively small sample size to establish feasibility. The Executive Committee now invites a project team to conduct both a pilot study and a full-fledged EQ-VT study with the two goals of 1) further testing EQ-VT in the context of this larger health and wellbeing instrument, and 2) developing the first EQ-VT-based EQ-HWB-9 value set, if the testing is considered successful.

The Valuation Working Group has developed a study design which mimics the EQ-VT method for the EQ-5D-5L. Applicants will be supplied with health state designs for the cTTO and DCE tasks developed by the Valuation Working Group, and a sample size of n=1800 has been set (n=300 for the pilot study and n=1500 for the main study). The cTTO design will consist of 30 blocks of 12 health states, which each block including one mild health state, as well as the worst health state. For the DCE, an efficient design consisting of 30 blocks of 12 choice pairs will be provided. Data can be collected in-person or via videoconferencing administered interviews. A detailed outline of the research proposal can be requested from Bram Roudijk.

Expressions of interest should not be longer than 3 pages and should include at least the following items, which will be used to select a team to conduct this study:

1. Timelines and sampling strategy. Sampling should meet the standards of representativeness as one would expect from valuation studies that use the EQ-VT protocol. Applicants are invited to describe their sampling strategy, and their main criteria for quota-based sampling. The timelines for completing the study should be appropriate, and deliver the study results within a reasonable amount of time.
2. A detailed budget (including an EUR 25,000.- in-kind contribution from EuroQol for software development, quality control, training, etc). While an overarching budget has been allocated to this study, proposals will be assessed on the basis of value-for-money. Budget requests within the overarching budget set aside by the Exec will be given preference; although larger budgets can be requested and will then be reviewed by the Exec.
3. Short research CV’s of the applicants. This should include a description of experience with conducting valuation work and the EQ-VT protocol.
4. An explanation of why their country should be chosen for this study. Examples include the potential use by HTA agencies, use in routine outcome assessment, or applications in social care and other health and wellbeing applications in the national setting.

Furthermore, interested parties should meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for receiving a grant for this study:

1. The study must be conducted in an English-speaking country due to a lack of other language versions of the newly developed labels of the EQ-HWB-9. The Executive Committee has decided that applications from the United Kingdom will not be considered.
2. As the study is strategically important to the EuroQol Group, the team is expected to liaise regularly (e.g. every 3 months) with the EQ-HWB WG, VWG, and the Executive Committee. The applicants should propose a meeting format and schedule that reflects this.