Measuring quality of life

Abstract

Caution needed when interpreting scores

Health status and quality of life in postpartum women: a systematic review of associated factors

“…QOL and HS are important categories of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), in which the patients perspective is key, and that can be used to assess the impact of current HS and to assess the efficiency of interventions [7]. The difference between these PROs is that where HS refers to self perceived physical, psychological and social functioning, QOL also incorporates patients' evaluation of functioning, i.e.…”

“…The difference between these PROs is that where HS refers to self perceived physical, psychological and social functioning, QOL also incorporates patients' evaluation of functioning, i.e. (dis)satisfaction with the aspects of life [7]. Since health care is becoming more and more patient centered, the assessment of the patient's subjective experience is considered to be essential for informed clinical decision-making and health policy [8].…”

A randomized controlled trial examining the addition of folic acid to iron supplementation in the treatment of postpartum anemia

“…Treatment of postpartum anemia could, therefore, contribute to maternal health and infant development. Health status is a multidimensional concept, which refers to selfperceived physical, mental, and social functioning, and can be assessed by standardized questionnaires [5].…”

Quality of Life - Exemplified through Patients Living with Atrial Fibrillation

“…Thus, trying to assess the patients' lived experiences from a standardised questionnaire may be problematic, when we consider lived experiences as context dependent and situation oriented. Hamming and Vries [16] recommend that it is important to state what is being assessed, e.g. health status, instead of denominate it all QOL.…”

“…Thus, as indicated by Zachariae and Bech [14], there might be a possible sign of a historical duality between a biomedical desire to assess health-related QOL as a patient-reported outcome, and a humanistic desire to focus on the patients' subjective lived experience and perceptions in regard to the overall QOL. Hamming and Vries [16] explain that QOL contains more subjective elements than health status, which is a patient self-reported evaluation thus emphasising the importance of distinguishing between QOL and health status. The importance of distinguishing between health and QOL is also supported by Moons et al [10].…”