ISSUES IN THE DEFINITIONS OF HRQoL

Abstract

Within literature there exists confusion about the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concept. However, clarity in the meaning of HRQoL is critically important, because confusion hinders progress in research and applications in clinical practice. HRQoL is used as an umbrella term to cover a wide range of patient reported outcomes including measures of health status, living conditions or well-being. The paper reviews the literature and discusses the important issues regarding the conceptualisation of health related quality of life in health sciences. It provides a brief description of historical development; concepts/definitions and clinical application HRQoL in health care and research. The aim of this paper is to discuss controversies or contradictory issues that currently exist concerning HRQoL and its measurement. The author proposes that future debate around HRQoL should focus from HRQoL instruments/measures to issues in HRQoL conceptualisation.