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 ALS depends on factors other than strength and physical function

Abstract: Objectives: To study patients with ALS to determine the following: 1) the relationship between physical function and quality of life (QOL); 2) the instruments that best reflect patients’ own ratings of QOL; and 3) whether spiritual/religious factors play a role in determining QOL. Methods: The authors prospectively studied 96 patients with ALS using several instruments, including the McGill Quality of Life (MQOL) instrument, the Idler Index of Religiosity, the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP)/ALS-19, and several measures of strength and physical function. Results: QOL as assessed by patients (MQOL single item score) did not correlate with measures of physical function and strength, but correlated with the total MQOL score ( p p p = 0.001), and the total Idler score ( p = 0.001). In contrast, correlations between SIP/ALS-19 and these measures were not significant, although SIP/ALS-19 correlated with measures of physical function and strength. Conclusions: QOL, as assessed by the patient with ALS, does not correlate with measures of strength and physical function, but appears to depend on psychological and existential factors, and thus may be measured well by the MQOL scale. Spiritual factors and support systems appear to play roles as well. SIP/ALS-19 is a good measure of physical function, but not of overall QOL.

Health-related quality of life of diabetic foot ulcer patients and their caregivers.

Abstract: The effect of a foot ulcer on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with diabetes mellitus and their caregivers is unclear, and was therefore evaluated prospectively in this multicentre study. HRQoL according to the 36-item health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-36) of 294 patients (ulcer duration ≥4 weeks) and 153 caregivers was analysed at baseline (time-point zero [T0]), once the ulcer was healed or after 20 weeks (time-point 1 [T1]), and 3 months later (time-point 2 [T2]). Patients with severe ischaemia were excluded. The mean age of the patients was 60 years, 72% were male, and time since diagnosis of diabetes was 17 years. Patients reported a low HRQoL on all SF-36 subscales. At T1, HRQoL scores in physical and social functioning were higher in patients with a healed vs a non-healed ulcer (p<0.05). At T2, these differences were larger, with higher scores for physical and social functioning, role physical and the physical summary score (all p<0.05). Within-group analysis revealed that HRQoL improved in different subscales in patients with a healed ulcer and worsened in patients with a persistent ulcer from T0 to T2 (all p<0.05). The caregivers of patients with a persisting ulcer had more emotional difficulties at T2. Diabetic patients with a healed foot ulcer had a higher HRQoL than patients with a persisting ulcer. Healing of a foot ulcer resulted in a marked improvement of several SF-36 subscales 3 months after healing (from T0 to T2). HRQoL declined progressively when the ulcer did not heal. A diabetic foot ulcer appeared to be a large emotional burden on the patients’ caregivers, as well.

Quality of life assessment in clinical trials : methods and practice

Abstract: Part 1 - Introduction Understanding and using health-related QOL instruments within clinical research studies Part 2 - Primary issues specific to quality of life trials Guidelines for measuring health-related QOL in clinical trials Sample sizes for randomized trials measuring QOL Cross-cultural issues in the use of QOL measures in randomized controlled trials Profile versus utility based measures of outcome for clinical trials Part 3 - Decision theory and preference assessment Introduction to decision theory and utilities Using decision theory in clinical research: applications of QALY Possibilities for summarizing health-related QOL when using a profile instrument Part 4 - Psychometry Questionnaire scaling: models and issues Assessing reliability and validity of measurement in clinical trials Item response theory models Factor analysis Part 5 - Data analysis Methods of analysis for longitudinal studies of health-related QOL Analysis of incomplete QOL data in clinical trials Using the Q-Twist method for treatment comparisons in clinical trials Part 6 - Interpreting and reporting results of QOL clinical trials Clinical interpretation of health-related QOL data Summarizing QOL data using graphical methods Guidelines for reporting results of QOL assessment in clinical trials Index

Finding a focus for quality of life with aphasia: Social and emotional health, and psychological well-being

Abstract: Background: Speech pathologists infrequently address the quality of aphasic people's lives in a direct manner in rehabilitation, most likely due to the difficulty in grasping the role of communication in quality of life (QOL). Despite considerable research into aphasic language impairments and communication disabilities, there is no clear evidence how aphasia impacts on clients' QOL. This paper reports on a comprehensive evaluation of 30 people with mild to moderate aphasia to determine which aspects of communication predict their QOL. A conceptual model of the relationship between communication and QOL was devised, using the disablement framework of the International Classification of Impairment, Activity and Participation Beta-2 Draft (ICIDH-2) (World Health Organisation, 1998). Communication was conceptualised as language impairment, functional communication ability and activity, and social participation. QOL included both health-related QOL (HRQOL) and psychological well-being concepts. Aims: The aim ...