title: Living with a disability: a synthesis and critique of the literature on quality of life, 1985-1989.
abstract: The current study describes articles cross-indexed under the keywords "quality of life" and "disability" in Index Medicus for the years 1985 through 1989 to compare their relative merits in terms of research design, sampling details, and the type of quality of life criteria included. Of 833 articles indexed under "quality of life," 52 (16%) included data about a disabling condition requiring rehabilitation. Of those 52, only seven (13%) were randomized clinical trials. The modal design was a descriptive survey or case study (N = 22 or 42%). Given the limited rigor in research design and invalid measurements, conclusions about improvement in the quality of life for disabled individuals after rehabilitative care could not be drawn from the studies reviewed. It may be concluded that research on quality of life needs to be better designed and should include more uniform and valid criteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dingus
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Haselkorn
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design