Psychometric properties of the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-100) in patients with chronic diseases and their caregivers in China.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the psychometric properties of the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-100), a multi-dimensional, conceptualized, 100-item quality-of-life instrument.


METHODS
A total of 460 patients in China with chronic diseases (including hypertension, schizophrenia, stroke, end-stage renal disease, head and neck cancer and breast cancer) and 418 family members who were their caregivers were assessed at baseline and one year later.


RESULTS
The WHOQOL-100 had acceptable internal consistency (alpha = 0.76-0.90 across domains). There were strong correlations between the domains of WHOQOL-100 and the dimensions of the General Quality of Life Inventory (alpha = 0.72-0.82 across related domains). Within domains most facet correlations were satisfactory, although some facets correlated more strongly with a domain other than that to which they had been assigned. Principal component analysis produced four factors accounting for 61% of the total variance.


CONCLUSIONS
The WHOQOL-100 was able to discriminate between the different groups of patients and was sensitive to clinical change in patients' conditions. It proved to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases and their caregivers in China.
Li
Lingjiang
L
Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 86 Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. LILJ9016@PUBLIC.CS.HN.CN
Young
Derson
D
Xiao
Shuiyuan
S
Zhou
Xiao
X
Zhou
Liang
L
D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization