The pilot study of whoqol-100 (malay version)

Area of Science:

• Medical and Health Sciences
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Advances in treating incurable illnesses necessitate assessing patient quality of life (QOL).
• Existing clinical consultations may not fully capture patients' cognitive and emotional states regarding QOL.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) developed the WHOQOL-100 as an international QOL assessment tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and pilot test the WHOQOL-100 into a Malay version.
• To evaluate the feasibility and utility of the WHOQOL-100 Malay version in a diverse patient population.
• To identify illness-specific QOL features.

Main Methods:

• Translation and cultural adaptation of the WHOQOL-100 into Malay.
• Pilot testing on 50 healthy controls and 250 patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.
• Data analysis to identify unique QOL characteristics associated with different medical conditions.

Main Results:

• The WHOQOL-100 Malay version was successfully pilot tested.
• Unique QOL features were identified, varying across different illness groups.
• The assessment provided insights potentially unobservable through standard clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• The WHOQOL-100 Malay version is a valuable tool for assessing QOL in local populations.
• Illness-specific QOL profiles can be elucidated using this instrument.
• Further research utilizing the WHOQOL-100 is recommended to enhance patient care and understanding.