title: [Markov process method in analyzing longitudinal quality of life data].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a method to analyze longitudinal quality of life data and discuss some relevant questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the theories of Markov process, the Markov method was presented and used to analyze the change of quality of life status for 212 cases being detoxificated drug addicts and their influence factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intensity coefficients of status transient for 1-->2 and 2-->3 for occupation were 0.7912 and 0.6797 respectively; the coefficients for status 1-->2 for the detoxification time was 0.5663 and that for 2-->3 for the detoxification method was 0.2765.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Markov method is good to analyze longitudinal quality of life data for it can analyze both the transient probabilities between any two status of quality of life and their influence factors. The results showed that the occupation of drug addicts, the detoxification time and method can affect the change of quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Statistics, Kunming Medical College.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008390:Markov Chains; D011788:Quality of Life; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*