Health-related quality of life. A guide for the health professional

The importance of evaluating health care in terms of patients' quality of life has only recently been acknowledged in the context of outcomes research and the measurement of quality of care. As a health professional, trying to choose the appropriate health status or health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure can be daunting, as one is faced with a bewildering array of choices. The purpose of this article is to describe the process by which professionals might make a choice about measures in outcomes research. The article includes examples and rationale for using generic or disease-specific HRQOL measures. In addition, examples are provided of HRQOL assessment in two adult chronic disease applications: asthma and congestive heart failure.