Definition and measurement of quality of life in oncology nursing research: review and theoretical implications

Abstract

Purpose: To describe oncology nurses' diverse conceptual and operational approaches to the study of quality of life (QOL) by reviewing oncology nursing research of QOL, using principles of theory-building to examine and explain findings, and discussing implications for QOL measurement in research and practice.

Data sources: Journal articles published since 1980.

Data synthesis: The use of diverse definitions and measures of QOL reflects the difficulty of operationalizing this abstract and highly individualized concept. A predominant trend in nursing research is the development of multidimensional scales that are disease-specific and include respondent-generated items.

Conclusions: Findings reflect a struggle to balance the need for practical, clinically relevant measures of QOL with the equally important need for theoretical integrity and comprehensiveness.

Implications for nursing practice: Nurses need to examine carefully their purposes for documenting QOL and the congruence of the evaluation method with patients' perceptions of QOL. This information can guide the choice of methods and enhance the validity of data used to evaluate QOL.