This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kaasa, S. Articles by Loge, J. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kaasa, S. Articles by Loge, J. H. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Quality of life in palliative care: principles and practice

Jon Håvard Loge

Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Palliative Medicine Unit, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim

In healthcare, most researchers and clinicians agree that quality of life (QOL) is related to symptoms, functioning, psychological and social wellbeing, and probably to a lesser extent to meaning and fulfilment. This multidimensional health-oriented concept has been named health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, during end-of-life care spirituality and existential issues become more prominent, as well as family members’ perception of quality of care. Outcome measures in palliative care require constructs that reflect the specific goals of palliative care, such as improving QOL before death, symptom control, family support and satisfaction, as well as patients’ perceptions of ‘purpose’ and ‘meaning of life’. It is generally recommended that internationally developed and validated patient-rated multidimensional questionnaires should be used when assessing HRQOL in research. However, ‘multidimensionality’, with often more than 10 possible outcomes, is a threat both to statistical analysis and clinical interpretation of data. Preferentially, a more limited number of outcomes based upon the research question(s) should be defined prior to data collection in the study protocol. The researcher needs to carefully evaluate the content of the questionnaire, in addition to other properties, such as the validity and reliability, before the final decision is made with regards to which instrument to use in a given study.

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 1, 11-20 (2003)
DOI: 10.1191/0269216303pm662ra


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M Ahlner-Elmqvist, K Bjordal, M. Jordhoy, S Kaasa, and M Jannert Characteristics and implications of attrition in health-related quality of life studies in palliative care Palliative Medicine, July 1, 2009; 23(5): 432 - 440. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Follwell, D. Burman, L. W. Le, K. Wakimoto, D. Seccareccia, J. Bryson, G. Rodin, and C. Zimmermann Phase II Study of an Outpatient Palliative Care Intervention in Patients With Metastatic Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., January 10, 2009; 27(2): 206 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Zimmermann, I. F. Tannock, and G. Rodin Studying the Effectiveness of Palliative Care--Reply JAMA, September 3, 2008; 300(9): 1023 - 1024. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Kaasa, J. H. Loge, P. Fayers, A. Caraceni, F. Strasser, M. J. Hjermstad, I. Higginson, L. Radbruch, and D. F. Haugen Symptom Assessment in Palliative Care: A Need for International Collaboration J. Clin. Oncol., August 10, 2008; 26(23): 3867 - 3873. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Hales, C. Zimmermann, and G. Rodin The Quality of Dying and Death Arch Intern Med, May 12, 2008; 168(9): 912 - 918. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Zimmermann, R. Riechelmann, M. Krzyzanowska, G. Rodin, and I. Tannock Effectiveness of Specialized Palliative Care: A Systematic Review JAMA, April 9, 2008; 299(14): 1698 - 1709. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Mayland, E. Williams, and J. Ellershaw How well do current instruments using bereaved relatives' views evaluate care for dying patients? Palliative Medicine, March 1, 2008; 22(2): 133 - 144. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. J. Pearson, J. G Todd, and J. M Futcher How can occupational therapists measure outcomes in palliative care? Palliative Medicine, September 1, 2007; 21(6): 477 - 485. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Groenvold, M. Aa. Petersen, N. K. Aaronson, J. I. Arraras, J. M. Blazeby, A. Bottomley, P. M. Fayers, A. de Graeff, E. Hammerlid, S. Kaasa, et al. Letter to the Editor Palliative Medicine, March 1, 2006; 20(2): 59 - 61. [PDF]

				M. A Echteld, B. Onwuteaka-Philipsen, G. van der Wal, L. Deliens, and M. Klein EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL: the new standard in the assessment of health-related quality of life in advanced cancer? Palliative Medicine, January 1, 2006; 20(1): 1 - 2. [PDF]

				D A Gruenewald, I J Higginson, B Vivat, P Edmonds, and R E Burman Quality of life measures for the palliative care of people severely affected by multiple sclerosis: a systematic review Multiple Sclerosis, December 1, 2004; 10(6): 690 - 725. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. J Hjermstad, J. H Loge, and S. Kaasa Methods for assessment of cognitive failure and delirium in palliative care patients: implications for practice and research Palliative Medicine, September 1, 2004; 18(6): 494 - 506. [Abstract] [PDF]