Outcome measurement: health status and quality of life.
Measures of health-related quality of life, which assess patients' symptoms, their functioning, and their satisfaction with their health status, have received increased attention. Quality-of-life measures specifically developed for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis have been reported, and generic quality-of-life measures have been validated in patients with diverse rheumatic diseases. Although many studies have assessed the psychometric properties of health status measures, few studies have focused on the interpretation and meaning of questionnaire results. New measures should identify the unique role they occupy in patient assessment.
Ward
Michael M
MM
Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Arthritis an Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892-1828, USA. wardm1@mail.nih.gov
D001168:Arthritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires