Table 1.

EQ-VAS response types and the frequency with which these are observed, in a randomly selected sample of 400 matched before-and-after responses in the NHS PROMs programme

EQ-VAS response type	Number of responses to Q1 (n = 199*)	Number of responses to Q2 (n = 200)
I. Drew a line from the box towards the EQ-VAS, sometimes touching or crossing it. This is the way that the EuroQol Group intends the EQ-VAS to be completed	79 (39.7 %)	100 (50.0 %)
II. Indicated precisely a horizontal level on the VAS, but did not draw a line to it. For example, ticks, crosses, lines, arrows, asterisks on or beside the VAS, or a tightly drawn circle around a specific number or tick mark	72 (36.2 %)	54 (27.0 %)
III. Drew a vertical line extending from 0 up to a point parallel with a point on the VAS	17 (8.5 %)	26 (13.0 %)
IV. Drew a vertical line parallel to the VAS, but not extending from 0, or circled an area of the VAS. This indicated a range rather than a single point	10 (5.0 %)	7 (3.5 %)
V. Gave an unclear response. For example, multiple markings on the VAS or vertical lines drawn from 100 downwards	1 (0.5 %)	2 (1.0 %)
VI. Left the form blank	20 (10.1 %)	11 (5.5 %)

* There was one missing Q1 response because of an image copying error