Quality of life assessment

Fredric D. Wolinsky, Elena M. Andresen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter reviews theories, methods, and instruments for assessing quality of life (QOL) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). It addresses the special nature and needs of assessing HRQOL given the burgeoning literature on the topic and its widespread use as an accepted outcome in clinical trials and comparative effectiveness studies. The chapter examines the most widely used HRQOL instruments belonging to the short-form (SF) family. This includes the 36-item, 12-item, and 8-item versions, all of which tap eight domains that should clearly be affected by health and healthcare. The chapter presents several sets of guidelines for evaluating QOL and HRQOL instruments. It concludes with some pragmatic advice for readers about the things to consider when selecting a HRQOL or QOL measure. The chapter also presents requirement for general research, especially of the cross-sectional variety, is a hurdle that most of the QOL indicators.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Wiley Handbook on the Aging Mind and Brain
PublisherWiley-Blackwell
Pages223-251
Number of pages29
ISBN (Electronic)9781118772034
ISBN (Print)9781118771778
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 20 2017

Keywords

  • Clinical trials
  • Eight domains
  • Guidelines sets
  • Health-related quality of life instruments
  • Quality of life instruments
  • Short-form family

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology

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