Using health-related quality of life measures in physical therapy outcomes research

This review article is meant to introduce the physical therapist to the concept of health-related quality of life (HRQL) for outcomes research. Reasons for the recent growth of interest in measuring HRQL outcomes are reviewed. Working definitions of overall quality of life and narrower concept of HRQL are offered, and a conceptual framework is presented for organizing the various elements of HRQL. A brief review of issues faced in incorporating HRQL into outcomes research is provided. Guidelines are presented to guide the physical therapy researcher in selecting measures of HRQL appropriate to specific outcomes research applications.