What Is QOL?

These two measures calculate the livability of countries and cities around the world, respectively, through a combination of subjective life-satisfaction surveys and objective determinants of quality of life such as divorce rates, safety, and infrastructure. Such measures relate more broadly to the population of a city, state, or country, not to individual quality of life. Livability has a long history and tradition in urban design, and neighborhoods design standards such as LEED-ND are often used in an attempt to influence livability. Researchers use assessments (interviews, surveys, questionnaires, scales) and symptom tracking to help determine life quality. Other times, researchers take a multi-perspective approach, collecting feedback from patients, their caregivers, clinicians and observers, health-related devices, and other sources. Researchers study methodology to find or improve ways to collect and evaluate patient-reported health status.

Methods research can also focus on ways to analyze and interpret data from health assessments. Researchers, clinicians, patients, health policy experts, and others with a vested interest in health care study ways for people around the world to assess and improve their HRQL. The Social Progress Index measures the extent to which countries provide for the social and environmental needs of their citizens.

1. An understanding of QOL and HRQL also enables health program developers and policy makers to better allocate resources.
2. Although many organizations of this type may still talk about fighting poverty, the methods are significantly different.
3. The term quality of life is also used by politicians and economists to measure the livability of a given city or nation.
4. HRQL research helps people understand how health, disease and treatment impact quality of life.
5. They also cover issues that may be predominant among patients with particular illnesses (e.g., feelings of loss of control, perceptions of social stigma).
6. The International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) is a global community of researchers, clinicians, health care professionals, industry professionals, consultants, and patient research partners advancing health related quality of life research (HRQL).

Wilson’s theories have been used to justify the implementation of zero tolerance policies by many prominent American mayors, most notably Oscar Goodman in Las Vegas, Richard Riordan in Los Angeles, Rudolph Giuliani in New York City and Gavin Newsom in San Francisco. Such policies refuse to tolerate even minor crimes; proponents argue that this will improve the quality of life of local residents. However, critics of zero tolerance policies believe that such policies neglect investigation on a case-by-case basis and may lead to unreasonably harsh penalties for crimes. The WHOQOL is a quality of life assessment developed by the WHOQOL Group with fifteen international field centres, simultaneously, in an attempt to develop a quality of life assessment that would be applicable cross-culturally. In the event of any inconsistency between the English and the translated version, the original English version shall be the binding and authentic version.

The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘quality of life.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. An understanding of QOL and HRQL also enables health program developers and policy makers to better allocate resources.

For example, common facets of QoL include personal health (physical, mental, and spiritual), relationships, education status, work environment, social status, wealth, a sense of security and safety, freedom, autonomy in decision-making, social-belonging and their physical surroundings. Academic interest in quality of life grew after World War II, when there was increasing awareness and recognition of social inequalities. This provided the impetus for social indicators research and subsequently for research on subjective well-being and quality of life.

What Is QOL?

The patient’s view of his or her own health had long played some role in medical consultation; however, in terms of the health care literature, researchers did not begin collecting and reporting such data systematically until the 1960s. The International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) is a global community of researchers, clinicians, health care professionals, industry professionals, consultants, and patient research partners advancing health related quality of life research (HRQL). Quality of life, the degree to which an individual is healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in or enjoy life events. The term quality of life is inherently ambiguous, as it can refer both to the experience an individual has of his or her own life and to the living conditions in which individuals find themselves. Whereas one person may define quality of life according to wealth or satisfaction with life, another person may define it in terms of capabilities (e.g., having the ability to live a good life in terms of emotional and physical well-being). A disabled person may report a high quality of life, whereas a healthy person who recently lost a job may report a low quality of life.

Human Development Index

Within development theory, however, there are varying ideas concerning what constitutes desirable change for a particular society. The different ways that quality of life is defined by institutions, therefore, shape how these organizations work for its improvement as a whole. Organisations such as the World Bank, for example, declare a goal of “working for a world free of poverty”,[32] with poverty defined as a lack of basic human needs, such as food, water, shelter, freedom, access to education, healthcare, or employment.[33] In other words, poverty is defined as a low quality of life. Using this definition, the World Bank works towards improving quality of life through the stated goal of lowering poverty and helping people afford a better quality of life. The term quality of life is also used by politicians and economists to measure the livability of a given city or nation. Two widely known measures of livability are the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Where-to-be-born Index and Mercer’s Quality of Living Reports.

Fifty-two indicators in the areas of basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing, and opportunity show the relative performance of nations. The index uses outcome measures when there is sufficient data available or the closest possible proxies. HRQL research helps people understand how health, disease and treatment impact quality of life. Health related quality of life (HRQL) is the health aspect of quality of life that focuses on people’s level of ability, daily functioning and ability to experience a fulfilling life.

QoL differs from the former in that standard of living is largely based on economic status and income. Under this conception, other frequently related concepts include freedom, human rights, and happiness. However, since happiness quality of life definition is subjective and difficult to measure, other measures are generally given priority. Quality of life (QoL) is a concept which aims to capture the well-being, whether of a population or individual, regarding both positive and negative elements within the entirety of their existence at a specific point in time.

Quality of life represents an aspect of health that is different from that generally measured using traditional methods of assessment, such as X-rays, blood tests, and clinical judgment. The latter have tended to dominate within health care and medicine in part because they are seen to be relatively objective. The measurement of quality of life incorporates the subjective views of the patient directly and can provide health care professionals with information that can supplement or, on occasion, contradict traditional assessments.

For example, there is evidence that outsiders, such as doctors and relatives, view the quality of life of patients with serious disabilities more negatively than do the patients themselves. Also, in some instances, clinical assessments remain stable over time and yet patients report a worsening of their health. Such divergences between the perceptions of those in a given health state and the perceptions of outside observers highlight the limitations of basing assessments purely on observers’ assessments. This can be achieved only if patient views are incorporated into treatment evaluations, thereby ensuring that health and medical care are fully evidence-based. Examples of quality-of-life measures include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

How do researchers study HRQL?

Please note that the translations available via the links opposite (WHOQOL-BREF / WHOQOL-100) were not created by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the event of any inconsistency between the English and the translated version, then the original English versions (in the Publications section below) shall be the binding and authentic versions. Together, we are creating a future in which patient perspective is integral to health research, care and policy.