title: Assessment of quality of life and participation within an outpatient rehabilitation setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of quality of life and participation measures in routine rehabilitation practice, determine the relationship between two scales and investigate their ability to evaluate change in a general outpatient population over a time of rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cohort study consisted of 55 patients admitted consecutively to an outpatient rehabilitation centre. All participants completed the WHOQOL-BREF and the London Handicap Scale (LHS) at admission and discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-parametric statistical analysis demonstrated a significant change in the total scores of both the WHOQOL-BREF and LHS over time (Z = -4.33, P < 0.001 and Z = -4.40, P < 0.001 respectively) with 'better' scores on completion of rehabilitation. A strong correlation existed between the total WHOQOL-BREF and LHS scores both cross-sectionally (admission and discharge p > 0.7), and longitudinally (p = 0.63).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated a strong relationship between quality of life and participation, with change shown using both scales over a period of outpatient rehabilitation. Given the findings, it seems appropriate to use only one of these measures. The WHOQOL-BREF has a wider scope, being useful both to evaluate service delivery in a diverse outpatient population or when measuring an individual over time.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department, Rehab Plus, Auckland District Health Board, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ackerley
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Alison F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: Lorna M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McPherson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010358:Patient Participation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires