Health status assessment in the occupational health setting

This article discusses the conceptual roots of measuring health- related outcomes based on a biopsychosocial model of health. The selection and applicability of instruments for measurement of health status are discussed and suggestions are made concerning how health-status instruments may be used in the occupational- health setting. The potential value of measuring health status in the occupation-health setting is explored with a brief review of current literature and an example from one investigation in which measurements of health status were used to examine outcomes of common musculoskeletal impairments.