Acceptability of the use of health related quality of life measurements for decision-making in healthcare science in Vietnam: a qualitative study

Objective This study was conducted with the objective of exploring the usage of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes and willingness of health technology assessment (HTA) and public health stakeholders to use the EQ-5D-5L instrument in healthcare decision-making processes in Vietnam.Method In this qualitative study, 11 interviews were held with key stakeholders involved in healthcare decision-making for HTA between June 2021 and June 2022. The interviewees included members of the Vietnamese pharmacoeconomic council and public-health professionals from a diverse array of regions of Vietnam. The data collection involved obtaining verbal consent, warm-up discussions and interviews conducted via Zoom, with subsequent verification by interviewees. The analysis employed a theoretical thematic approach, adopting a deductive methodology to identify and analyse underlying ideas and meanings within the empirical data.Results This study highlights the general importance and viability of HRQOL measures, and more particularly the EQ-5D-5L instrument, in healthcare decision-making in Vietnam. Challenges have been identified, including insufficient recognition, interpretation, standardisation and educational initiatives relating to HRQOL measurements. This study advocates for official training programmes on HRQOL measurements, guidelines for the application of the EQ-5D-5L and an open HRQOL database in Vietnam. Concerns regarding validity and outcome variation in HRQOL measurements underline the necessity for continuous psychometric properties assessments and regular updates to national HRQOL data in the Vietnamese context.Conclusion HRQOL outcomes are important, and Vietnamese stakeholders express a readiness to employ the EQ-5D-5L in healthcare decision-making, especially HTA. Nevertheless, HRQOL measurements, including the EQ-5D-5L, are currently inadequately used in Vietnam, and further efforts are required to improve utilisation.