Quality of life instruments and definitions in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.
METHODS
A systematic review.


OBJECTIVE
To critically review quality of life (QOL) instruments used with spinal cord injury (SCI) populations.


METHODS
Vancouver, Canada.


METHODS
A systematic literature review was conducted for publications assessing the measurement properties of QOL outcome measures. Pre-established criteria were used to evaluate the measurement properties.


RESULTS
Fourteen articles reporting on 13 QOL instruments met the inclusion criteria, including the Patient Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM), Quality of Well-being Scale, Qualiveen, Sickness Impact Profile (SIP68), Short Form (SF)-36, SF-36V, SF-12, SF-6D, Quality of Life Index, Quality of Life Profile for Adults with Physical Disabilities (QOLP-PD), Satisfaction with Life Scale, Sense of Well-being Index (SWBI), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF scale (WHOQOL-BREF). The SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF have been widely used and validated. The SIP68, QOLP-PD, SF-36V, and SWBI are promising with limited investigation. The Qualiveen and PRISM performed well and are specific to SCI complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The WHOQOL-BREF is presently the most acceptable and established instrument to assess QOL after SCI. The SIP68, QOLP-PD, SF-36V, and SWBI are promising; however, require further evaluation of their measurement properties.
Hill
M R
MR
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Noonan
V K
VK
Sakakibara
B M
BM
Miller
W C
WC
D002170:Canada; D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*