Validation of the WHOQOL-100: pain management improves quality of life for chronic pain patients

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to validate a new, multidimensional, multilingual instrument (the WHOQOL-100) for assessing QOL in chronic pain patients.

Methods: Chronic pain patients (N = 106) who agreed to participate in an established pain management program (PMP) were assessed for quality of life (QOL) before and one month after the intervention. The WHOQOL-100 is a generic profile containing 25 facets of QOL organized in 6 domains. It was administered concurrently with the MOS Short Form-36, the Beck Depression Inventory, and measures of pain intensity, duration, disruption and distress.

Results: The patients were outpatients and inpatients with a mean age of 44 years and mean pain duration of 8 years. The sample included 70 (66%) women. After the PMP, QOL had significantly improved generally. and in the physical, psychological and independence domains, as well as in 10 facets of QOL including pain and discomfort. Good QOL is consistently associated with low levels of pain severity and pain distress and little pain disruption. Overall internal consistency reliability was good and for most facets and domains but marginal for the pain facet. When compared with the SF-36. the WHOQOL-100 shows good concurrent validity, greater comprehensiveness and very good responsiveness to clinical change.

Discussion: The WHOQOL-100 indicates significant improvements to QOL for those entering a PMP and is validated for the clinical assessment of chronic pain patients and for use in multi-national clinical trials, clinical governance and audit.