The Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL)

Assessment of of (QoL) is becoming increasingly important in medicine, nursing, and the behavioral and social sciences, particularly as an outcome variable in assessing the impact of disease, illness, and treatment [1-4]. The importance of QoL in medicine and health lies in its encompassing nature: many previously disparate indicators of disease and illness can be incorporated under the umbrella of QoL. In addition, the perspective of the patient is given increased emphasis. Therefore, quality of life may be viewed as the expression of a conceptual model intended to represent the perspective of the patient in quantifiable terms. However, despite the increasing popularity of the concept, considerable problems exist in formulation, measurement, and interpretation. There is as yet no agreed-upon definition of exactly what constitutes QoL, nor is there a universally accepted gold standard measure. The approach to measurement varies according to the values, aims, and professional training of the investigator.