Understanding Quality of Life in adults with spinal cord injury via SCI-related needs and secondary complications
| Résumé | Objective: The aims of this article are to (a) show how the concepts of QOL and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have evolved over time, (b) describe the various ways QOL has been defined and measured, and (c) provide recommendations on how to be as clear and consistent as possible in QOL research. Method: A narrative review of the QOL literature was performed. Results: Roots of the term “quality of life” in health care can be traced back to the definition of health by the World Health Organization in 1948. The use of the word “well-being” in this definition is probably a main factor in the continuing confusion about the conceptualization of QOL. Within the field of SCI rehabilitation, the Dijkers’s QOL model, distinguishing between utilities, achievements, and subjective evaluations and reactions, has been very influential and the basis for several reviews and databases. Nevertheless, literature shows that it is still difficult to consistently use the term “quality of life” and categorize QOL measures. Several aspects of QOL that are specific for individuals with SCI have been identified.Conclusions: Researchers should be as specific and clear as possible about the concept and operationalization of QOL in their studies. Readers should not take the term “quality of life” for granted, but should inspect the topic of the study from the actual measures used. |
| Auteurs | Marcel W.M. Post |
| Titre de revue/journal, volume et numéro | Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, volume 20, numéro 3. |
| Langue de la publication et/ou de traduction | Anglais (langue d’origine) |
| Année de parution | 2014 |
| Pays | Pays-Bas |
| Institutions affiliées | Center of Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine, De Hoogstraat |
| Lien vers la publication | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4257148/ |
| Type d’accès à la publication | Gratuit |
| Mots clés | health status; outcome assessment; quality of life; spinal cord injuries. |
| Autres informations |