[Quality of life and neurologic diseases]

The development reached by many countries of our planet has allowed that in them most of the infectious diseases have diminished and that the life expectancy is over the 75 years of life. As a result of this, degenerative and chronic diseases are every day more prevalent and their treatments are longer and complex. To value quality of life in these patients and the effect of the therapy on health is at the moment a main goal of public health.

To know the origin, the evolution, and the theoretical foundation of the concept of the quality of life, as well as their measurement methods. On the other hand, to describe the characteristics of the different available questionnaires in Spain to measure the quality of life, either of generic or specific for neurologic illness.

The most important questionnaires which have been adapted and validated into Spanish have been revised. An exhaustive revision of the bibliography related with quality of life and neurology was carried out, and all the questionnaires described in these processes were revised.

We describe the philosophy and concepts of health, quality of life (QOL) and health related quality of life (HRQL). The following generic questionnaires are described: the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36), the European Profile of Quality of Life (EuroQoL), the Questionnaire of Quality of Life (CCV) and the Profile of Life quality in the Chronically ill (PLC). In an exhaustive bibliographical revision on quality of life and neurology, 52 indexed papers appeared, of those which only twelve were related with those subject. The following specific questionnaires are described: Qualité de Vie et Migraine (QVM), the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), the Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ), the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-89) and their variant of 31 items. Finally two questionnaires ad hoc are described to study migraine and epilepsy.

The incorporation of HRQL measures in patients with neurological illnesses is an increasing and valued practice by its specialists. We observe that the availability of generic tools to measure the HRQL in Spanish is wider every day, although most of these come from other cultures. The process continued in their transcultural adaptation and validation allows us to have some tools of great reliability and effectiveness that facilitate its use. In relation to the specific questionnaires on neurologic process, the supply is considerably smaller due to the recent appearance of these methods in this clinic area.