Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jun;48(3):390-7.
doi: 10.1590/s0034-8910.2014048004912.

Cut-off point for WHOQOL-bref as a measure of quality of life of older adults

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Patrícia Aparecida Barbosa Silva  1 , Sônia Maria Soares  2 , Joseph Fabiano Guimarães Santos  3 , Líliam Barbosa Silva  1
Affiliations

Cut-off point for WHOQOL-bref as a measure of quality of life of older adults

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Patrícia Aparecida Barbosa Silva et al. Rev Saude Publica. 2014 Jun.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

OBJECTIVE To propose a cut-off for the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-bref) as a predictor of quality of life in older adults.METHODS Cross-sectional study with 391 older adults registered in the Northwest Health District in Belo Horizonte, MG, Southeastern Brazil, between October 8, 2010 and May 23, 2011. The older adults' quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-bref. The analysis was rationalized by outlining two extreme and simultaneous groups according to perceived quality of life and satisfaction with health (quality of life good/satisfactory - good or very good self-reported quality of life and being satisfied or very satisfied with health - G5; and poor/very poor quality of life - poor or very poor self-reported quality of life and feeling dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with health - G6). A Receiver-Operating Characteristic curve (ROC) was created to assess the diagnostic ability of different cut-off points of the WHOQOL-bref.RESULTS ROC curve analysis indicated a critical value 60 as the optimal cut-off point for assessing perceived quality of life and satisfaction with health. The area under the curve was 0.758, with a sensitivity of 76.8% and specificity of 63.8% for a cut-off of ≥ 60 for overall quality of life (G5) and sensitivity 95.0% and specificity of 54.4% for a cut-off of < 60 for overall quality of life (G6).CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic interpretation of the ROC curve revealed that cut-off < 60 for overall quality of life obtained excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value for tracking older adults with probable worse quality of life and dissatisfied with health.

OBJETIVO:: Estimar o ponto de corte para o World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-bref) como preditor da qualidade de vida de idosos.

MÉTODOS:: Estudo transversal com 391 idosos registrados no Distrito Sanitário Noroeste, Belo Horizonte, MG, de 8 de outubro de 2010 a 23 de maio de 2011. O instrumento WHOQOL-bref foi utilizado para avaliação da qualidade de vida dos idosos. A análise foi racionalizada por meio da definição de dois grupos extremos e simultâneos em relação à percepção da qualidade de vida e satisfação com a saúde (qualidade de vida boa/satisfeito – autorrelato de qualidade de vida boa ou muito boa e se sentem satisfeitos ou muito satisfeitos com sua saúde – G5; e qualidade de vida ruim/insatisfeito – autorrelato de qualidade de vida ruim ou muito ruim e se sentem insatisfeitos ou muito insatisfeitos com sua saúde – G6). A curva Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) foi construída para avaliar a capacidade diagnóstica de diferentes pontos de corte do instrumento WHOQOL-bref.

RESULTADOS:: A análise da curva ROC indicou valor crítico 60 como o melhor ponto de corte para avaliação da percepção de qualidade de vida e satisfação com a saúde. A área sob a curva foi 0,758, com sensibilidade de 76,8% e especificidade de 63,8% para o ponto de corte de qualidade de vida geral ≥ 60 (G5); e sensibilidade de 95,0% e especificidade de 54,4% para o ponto de corte de qualidade de vida geral < 60 (G6).

CONCLUSÕES:: O ponto de corte qualidade de vida geral <60 obteve excelente sensibilidade e valor preditivo negativo para rastreamento de idosos comprovável pior qualidade de vida e insatisfação com a saúde.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Boxplot of the overall quality of life scores according to WHOQOL-1, WHOQOL-2 and quality of life/satisfaction groups. Northwest Health District, Belo Horizonte, MG, 2010 to 2011.
Figure 2
Figure 2. ROC curve showing sensitivity and specificity of cut-off points to predict good quality of life/satisfied (G5) or poor quality of life/dissatisfied (G6), considering the G5 and G6 groups in the sample studied. Northwest Health District, Belo Horizonte, MG, 2010 to 2011.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Alexandre TS, Cordeiro RC, Ramos LR. Factors associated to quality of life in active elderly. Rev Saude Publica. 2009;43(4):613–621. doi: 10.1590/S0034-89102009005000030. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Anand D, Puri S, Mathew M. Assessment of quality of life of HIV-positive people receiving ART: an Indian perspective. Indian J Community Med. 2012;37(3):165–169. doi: 10.4103/0970-0218.99918. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Braga SFM, Peixoto SV, Gomes IC, Acúrcio FA, Andrade EIG, Cherchiglia ML. Factors associated with health-related quality of life in elderly patients on hemodialysis. Rev Saude Publica. 2011;45(6):1127–1136. doi: 10.1590/S0034-89102011000600015. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fleck MPA, Leal OF, Louzada S, Xavier M, Chachamovich E, Vieira G, et al. Desenvolvimento da versão em português do instrumento de avaliação de qualidade de vida da OMS (WHOQOL-100) Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 1999;21(1):19–28. doi: 10.1590/S1516-44461999000100006. - DOI
    1. Fleck MPA. O instrumento de avaliação de qualidade de vida da Organização Mundial da Saúde (WHOQOL-100): características e perspectivas. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 2000;5(1):33–38. doi: 10.1590/S1413-81232000000100004. - DOI

Publication types