Evaluating Health-Related Quality of Life in Three Disease Management Areas: Asthma, Diabetes, and Hypertension

OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of three generic health-related quality of life (QOL) life scales in the disease-management areas of asthma, diabetes, and hypertension. DATA SOURCES: A review of Medline (1966-July 1995) for original studies published in either English or French that examined QOL measurement in the three disease-management areas. STUDY SELECTION: After an initial review, 26 unique studies were selected to assess the validity and sensitivity of the scales in each area. DATA EXTRACTION: Performed by the authors. DATA SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSION: The studies found evidence of criterion, discriminate, and convergent validity, sensitivity (responsiveness), reliability, and adequate frequency of use. A subjective measurement of the scales' validity in each of the three disease-management populations was made based on the number of studies demonstrating validity, strength of the associations of the scale scores with medical or clinical measures, and strength of associations of scale scores with other ...