title: [Quality of life related to public health and the health system reflections].
abstract: Quality of life (QL) is used to measure the well-being of the individual, the population and the quality of the health system. The QL related to the health has three approaches: To identify the perception of the individual on the way the disease affects the QL; to evaluate the effect of a treatment on the physical, emotional and well-being of the individual and to identify the necessities for health of the population. The aim is to evaluate publications on QL, and its use for evaluation of the health. Forty two studies were evaluated (2002-2008) on QL, 21 (50 %) were related to methodological and conceptual aspects or to describe instruments for evaluation; 13(31 %) were related to research work using questionnaires and 8(19 %) to projects that used specific forms. The integration of research groups must be encouraged related to QL in healthy groups, as well as in groups carrying problems of health; to evaluate the damage and the impact of the health intervention through controlled clinical trials. Because the affection of the population with a disease has effect on the psychological and social domains, the need for a multidisciplinary equipment to attend health, where the educative aspect acquires a preponderant role is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Coordinación Delegacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico. ruben.romero@salud.gob.mx
authors.forename: Rubén Salvador
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Romero-Márquez
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Romero-Zepeda
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires