Quality of life

About: Quality of life is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 42912 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1198363 citations. The topic is also known as: life quality.

Quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease improves after rehabilitation at home.

Abstract: We have developed a rehabilitation programme at home and have investigated its effects on quality of life (QOL), lung function, and exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We studied 43 patients with severe airflow obstruction: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 1.3 +/- 0.4 l (mean +/- SD), FEV1/inspiratory vital capacity (IVC) 37 +/- 7.9%. After stratification, 28 patients were randomly allocated in a home rehabilitation programme for 12 weeks. Fifteen patients in a control group received no rehabilitation. The rehabilitation group received physiotherapy by the local physiotherapist, and supervision by a nurse and a general practitioner. Quality of life was assessed by the four dimensions of the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ). We found a highly significant improvement in the rehabilitation group compared to the control group for the dimensions dyspnoea, emotion, and mastery. Lung function showed no changes in the rehabilitation group. The exercise tolerance improved significantly in the rehabilitation group compared to the control group. The improvement in quality of life was not correlated with the improvement in exercise tolerance. Rehabilitation of COPD patients at home may improve quality of life; this improvement is not correlated with an improvement in lung function and exercise tolerance.

Quality of life assessment : key issues in the 1990s

Abstract: Part 1 Philosophies, concepts and key instruments involved in assessing quality of life: the new era of quality of life assessment assessing health-related quality of life for clinical decision making the quality of well-being scale - rationale for a single quality of life index development, testing and use of the sickness impact profile the Nottingham health profile the McMaster health index auestionaire - an update a health index and output measure the index of health-related QOL (IHQL) - a new tool for audit and cost-per-QALY analysis 15D measure of health-related quality of life and its applications the Euroqol quality of life project a WHO method for the assessment of health-related quality of life (WHOQOL) indices versus profiles - advantages and disadvantages the on-line guide to quality of life assessment (OGLA) - a resource for selectiong quality of life assessments. Part 2 Assessing quality of life in major disease areas: measuring the quality of life - patients with caner, patients with rheumatoid arthritis, patients with Parkinson's diseasse, patients with respiratory disease, patients with hypertension, patients with angina measuring the quality of life in psychiatry measuring the quality of life in dermatology. Part 3 Viewpoints and perspectives: ethical questions and policy decisions - their implications for quality of life studies industry perspectives on quality of life a regulatory view the cost effectiveness of pharmaceuticals requirements for health care purchasers the importance of quality of life in policy decisions.

Quality of life measurement in dermatology: a practical guide

Abstract: The purpose of this review is to guide clinicians and researchers who wish to use quality of life (QOL) measures in dermatology. Definitions of key words are given, with a guide to descriptions of the adverse effects of skin disease. The reasons for measuring QOL in dermatology are explained, with descriptions of the use of disease specific, dermatology specific, general health and utility measure questionnaires. Measurement methods of QOL in children and the family impact of skin disease are also described. There is advice about how to choose which method to use, and where to find the questionnaires.

Development and application of a health-related quality-of-life instrument for adults with cochlear implants: The Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire

Abstract: Objective: The goal was to develop a quantifiable, self-assessment health-related quality of life (QoL) instrument for use in cochlear implant (CI) users. Design: Three principal domains were distinguished: physical, psychological, and social. Forty-five postlingually deaf adult multichannel CI users and 46 deaf candidates on the waiting list for CIs (control group) participated in the study. Results: Retrospective scores for the CI group corresponded very well with the scores for the control group. Current QoL scores were substantially higher for all 6 subdomains. Internal consistency and testretest reliability coefficients proved to be satisfactory, and the ability to detect clinical changes with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implantation Questionnaire (NCIQ) proved to be good. Conclusions: The psychometric characteristics of the NCIQ proved to be reliable and probably valid and sensitive to clinical changes. The data obtained with the NCIQ reflected that the instrument was able to detect that a CI had significant effects on several health-related QoL aspects, including the social and psychological domains. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;123:756-65.)