Quality of Life

Synonyms

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL); HRQL

Definition

Although the term quality of life is widely used in the public health context, there is still no commonly accepted definition. In the research and clinical area, quality of life often stands for anything except death and mortality rates. Others see quality of life as an overarching concept that covers all aspects of a person's life, which includes, amongst others, physical health, psychological well-being, social well-being, financial well-being, family relationships, friendships, work, and leisure. Other approaches focus on the social and psychological aspects of quality of life and contrast it with quality of care. The quality of life that is supposed to be affected by health care intervention is often defined as health‐related quality of life. Quality of life can be interpreted as the ultimate marker of success for both preventive measures and health care delivery. The impact on quality of life is often taken into...