Quality of life: its measurement and use

The emerging need to view improved quality of life as an outcome measure from human service programs was described, and a Quality of Life Index was proposed that can be used as either an outcome measure or the criterion for the goodness-of-fit between persons and their environments. Data were presented from 685 adult clients within Nebraska's Community Based Mental Retardation Programs demonstrating the use of this Index as both an outcome measure and a criterion of the goodness-of-fit between persons who are disabled and their environments. Administrative and programmatic uses of such data were explored, along with a number of cautions to consider when assessing a person's quality of life.