Quality of life: An overview of issues for use in occupational therapy outcome measurement

Abstract

The concept of quality of life (QOL) has been used as an outcome measure to indicate the global health, functioning and wellbeing of a person following illness, injury or disability, and to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Whilst QOL has been widely used for these purposes by researchers and practitioners in the health and social sciences, it has had limited application by occupational therapists. This has occurred despite the obvious links to occupational therapy philosophy, with both having a multifaceted, holistic, and client‐centred approach to people’s lives, and a concern with the roles and functions that give life meaning and value. This paper reviews QOL literature in order to introduce occupational therapists to the issues involved with using this construct, from its conceptualization to its measurement. A guide to the decision‐making processes involved in selecting an appropriate QOL outcome measure for use in occupational therapy practice is provided.

Understanding quality of life within occupational therapy intervention research: A scoping review

“…With the existence of many possible definitions of QOL, measurement of the concept for both clinical and research purposes can vary greatly (Liddle & Mckenna, 2000). Garratt, Schmidt, Mackintosh and Fitzpatrick (2002) examined the trends in QOL measurement as a patient-assessed health outcome and found substantial increases in the number of available instruments over time, particularly for those that target specific diseases or populations.…”

People with dementia report that relationships, purposefulness, wellness and an attachment to their living environment are the most important factors associated with quality of life

“…The perspectives of people with dementia are central to providing person‐centred care (Ballard & Aarsland, ). QoL can be difficult to describe and express and is influenced by a range of life experiences, abilities, needs and values (Liddle & McKenna, ). Qualitative methodologies are highly appropriate for flexibly eliciting this information from participants with dementia in meaningful way.…”

Measuring quality of life in prosthetic practice

“…According to Heinemann (2005) the measurement of activities assesses the degree to which people can independently perform daily tasks like walking upstairs, whereas the measurement of participation assesses the degree to which individuals are socially integrated, productive and involved in the community. QoL is, therefore, considered an outcome measure at the participation level in terms of the person's real life experiences and, as such, can highlight potentially negative effects of an intervention (Liddle and McKenna 2000). For example, intervention at an impairment or activity level may interfere with participation in life activities due to time in therapy and fatigue.…”

“…Their aim is to assess the value of health or other interventions in terms of a combination of increased QoL and length of life (McGee 2004). The assumptions underlying utility measures, as outlined by Koch (2000), include the fact that: life quality is based solely on the presence or absence of physical conditions deviating (Liddle and McKenna 2000).…”