title: The WHO quality of life (WHOQOL) questionnaire: Spanish development and validation studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the 1990s, the World Health Organization (WHO) undertook a project to develop an instrument (the WHOQOL) for measuring quality of life (QoL). The WHOQOL was developed in the framework of a collaborative project involving numerous centers in different cultural settings. This paper describes the psychometric properties of the Spanish WHOQOL during its development.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand and eighty-two patients with physical health conditions, persons without any health condition, patients with schizophrenia, and family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia participated on the WHOQOL-100 and WHOQOL-BREF field trials. QoL self-assessment was completed, together with sociodemographic and health status questions. Analysis was performed using classical psychometric methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both versions of the WHOQOL showed satisfactory psychometric properties as follows: acceptability, internal consistency, and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The WHOQOL-100 and WHOQOL-BREF are suitable to use in patients with different health conditions, including schizophrenia, and in different populations, including caregivers. Spanish field trials are the first to report on use of the WHOQOL in persons with schizophrenia and caregivers. These results indicate that both versions are useful tools in assessing these groups, as the WHOQOL includes important dimensions commonly omitted from other generic QoL measures.
authors: Department of Methodology and Behavioral Sciences, University of Barcelona and SGR 822 Generalitat de Catalunya, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. Lucas.Ramona@gmail.com
authors: Ramona
authors: R
authors: Lucas-Carrasco
references: Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2011 Oct-Dec;25(4):345-51
references: 21297426
references: Psychol Med. 1998 May;28(3):551-8
references: 9626712
references: Neurodegener Dis. 2011;8(4):178-86
references: 21135535
references: Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Sep;161(9):1626-34
references: 15337653
references: Qual Life Res. 2004 Mar;13(2):299-310
references: 15085902
references: Health Psychol. 1999 Sep;18(5):495-505
references: 10519466
references: Clin J Pain. 2001 Sep;17(3):264-75
references: 11587119
references: Soc Sci Med. 1995 Nov;41(10):1403-9
references: 8560308
references: Qual Life Res. 1993 Apr;2(2):153-9
references: 8518769
references: Soc Sci Med. 1998 Jun;46(12):1569-85
references: 9672396
references: Jpn J Clin Oncol. 1998 Feb;28(2):134-41
references: 9544830
references: Aging Ment Health. 2011 Jul 1;15(5):595-604
references: 21815852
references: Psychol Med. 2003 Aug;33(6):1051-9
references: 12946089
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 2000 Jan;53(1):1-12
references: 10693897
references: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2001 Feb;51(2):133-43
references: 11165693