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released: 17 Dec 2004 author: Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring

This report provides a comprehensive review of approaches to measuring the impact of asthma on quality of life that can be used in population-based monitoring. It is concluded that no single measure can be used in all circumstances. Rather, selection from the range of alternative measures should be based on the specific monitoring task and the attributes that are most relevant to that task. This report is intended for use by policy makers, data agencies and researchers involved in measuring population health. While the main focus is on population monitoring in relation to asthma, the findings will be of interest to those whose focus is on other chronic diseases.

ISBN 978 1 74024 433 6; Cat. no. ACM 3; 87pp.; $22.00

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Publication table of contents

  • Preliminary material (167K PDF)
    • Title page and verso
    • Foreword
    • Contents
    • List of tables and figures
    • Contributors
    • Acknowledgments
    • Abbreviations
    • Executive summary
    • Recommendations
      1. HRQoL measures
      2. Approaches to population monitoring of HRQoL
      3. HRQoL measures in children
      4. Further research
  • Sections
    1. Introduction (218K PDF)
      • 1.1 Objectives
      • 1.2 Health-related quality of life
        • 1.2.1 Why measure HRQoL
        • 1.2.2 Components of HRQoL
        • 1.2.3 Relation to disability

      • 1.3 Population health monitoring

        • 1.3.1 Current monitoring activities in Australia

        • 1.3.2 Challenges in monitoring asthma

    2. Conceptual framework for measuring HRQoL in asthma (214K PDF)
      • 2.1 How does asthma affect HRQoL
      • 2.2 Purposes of measuring HRQoL
        • 2.2.1 Discrimination
        • 2.2.2 Evaluation
        • 2.2.3 Prediction
      • 2.3 Types of HRQoL measures
        • 2.3.1 Generic and specific HRQoL measures
        • 2.3.2 Utility scales
      • 2.4 Attributes of HRQoL measures.
        • 2.4.1 Validity
        • 2.4.2 Reliability
        • 2.4.3 Responsiveness and sensitivity
        • 2.4.4 Interpretability
        • 2.4.5 Feasibility and practical issues
        • 2.4.6 Applicability to special populations
      • 2.5 Breadth and depth of HRQoL measures
        • 2.5.1 Single item and brief measures
        • 2.5.2 Multi-item and multi-dimensional HRQoL profiles
        • 2.5.3 Dynamic health assessment
      • 2.6 Examples of population monitoring of HRQoL: two Australian health surveys
      • 2.7 Selecting HRQoL measures for population monitoring
        • 2.7.1 Comparisons of the impact of different diseases or health states
        • 2.7.2 Monitoring changes over time
        • 2.7.3 Resource allocation
    3. Evaluation of HRQoL measures used in asthma(248K PDF)
      • 3.1 Review inclusion criteria
      • 3.2 Framework for assessment of HRQoL measures
      • 3.3 Evaluation of measures in relation to monitoring tasks
        • 3.3.1 Generic measures
        • 3.3.2 Disease-specific measures
        • 3.3.3 Utility scales
        • 3.3.4 Measuring HRQoL in children
    4. Conclusions (90K PDF)
      • 4.1 Approaches to monitoring using currently available measures
      • 4.2 Future directions
  • End Matter (627.7K PDF)
    • Glossary
    • Appendix A: Evaluation of HRQoL measurement instruments
    • Appendix B: Excluded measures
    • References

Recommended citation

Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring 2004. Measuring the impact of asthma on quality of life in the Australian population. Cat. no. ACM 3. Canberra: AIHW.