Comparison of HINT-8 and EQ-5D-5L for assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in patients with precancerous cervical lesions

Backgroud Gynecological conditions can substantially affect various aspects of women’s lives; therefore, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is regarded as a crucial measure in women’s health evaluation. This study evaluated the HRQoL of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and carcinoma in situ (CIS). The EQ-5D-5L (EuroQol 5 Dimensions, 5 Levels) and the Korean HINT-8 (Health-related Quality of Life Instrument with 8 Items) assessment tools were compared to explore whether HINT-8 can be used as an alternative or complementary tool. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2023 to February 2024 at 12 hospitals in Korea. A total of 80 women aged 19 or older with CIN or CIS participated. They completed the EQ-5D-5L and HINT-8 questionnaires. Demographic and clinical data were also collected. Data were analyzed using non-parametric tests, correlation, Bland-Altman plots, ICC, and Cronbach’s alpha. Results The average scores were 0.878 for EQ-5D-5L and 0.830 for HINT-8. Employment and marital status affected both scores. The ceiling effect was 35% for EQ-5D-5L and 15% for HINT-8. The two tools were strongly correlated (r = 0.792) with high agreement (ICC = 0.847). HINT-8 showed good reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.859). Conclusions HINT-8 showed lower ceiling effects, higher internal consistency, and greater sensitivity to HRQoL changes than EQ-5D-5L. It may be a useful tool for assessing HRQoL in CIS and CIN patients. These findings contribute to improving the quality of women’s health assessment tools, particularly in the context of early-stage cervical conditions. Further research is needed to explore its applicability in diverse cultural contexts. This study is among the first to explore the potential global use of HINT-8, and it provides a meaningful starting point for future research.