title: A health-related quality of life questionnaire for multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The construction of a brief, valid and reliable HRQoL questionnaire for use in multiple sclerosis patients based on generic and disease-specific HRQoL measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), COOP/ WONCA Charts, and Disability & Impact Profile (DIP) were used in a longitudinal study in 162 patients with multiple sclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor analyses identified 2 underlying dimensions of HRQoL, relating to "physical functioning" and "psychological functioning". Selection of the 3 highest loading reliable scales on each factor resulted in a final questionnaire consisting of 3 scales of the SF-36 and 3 scales of the DIP. In total 40 items were selected; completion time is about 10 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The final questionnaire adequately measured 2 dimensions of HRQoL. The length of the questionnaire is acceptable for patients with MS in view of respondent burden.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Medical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Pfennings
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Van der Ploeg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bramsen
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Polman
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Lankhorst
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vleugels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*