Preliminary validation study of the WHO quality of life (WHOQOL) scales for people with spinal cord injury in Mainland China

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2022 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2020.1847563 · Published: July 1, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Participation Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

This study aimed to validate the WHOQOL scales for measuring the quality of life in people with spinal cord injury in Mainland China. The study found that the WHOQOL scales are reliable and valid for measuring QOL in people with SCI in China. The findings suggest that these scales can be used to assess QOL in medical practice, research, and policy making for people with SCI in China.

Study Duration

2017-2019

Participants

249 adults with SCI

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
The WHOQOL Scales are valid and reliable for measuring QOL in people with SCI in Mainland China.
2
The study suggests the WHOQOL-DIS be analyzed as one general item constituting a single 12-item domain.
3
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a construct of the WHOQOL-DIS as made of four domains: autonomy, social inclusion, social activities, and discrimination.

Research Summary

This study validated the WHOQOL Scales (WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-DIS module) for people with spinal cord injury in Mainland China. The results showed that the WHOQOL Scales are reliable and valid for measuring QOL in this population, suggesting they can be used in medical practice, research, and policy making. The study also suggests that the WHOQOL-DIS module can be analyzed as one general item constituting a single 12-item domain, while also allowing for more detailed analysis using four subscales.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

The WHOQOL scales can be used to assess and monitor the quality of life of individuals with SCI in clinical settings.

Research

The validated scales can be used in research studies to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments and interventions on the QOL of people with SCI.

Policy Making

The QOL data obtained using these scales can inform policy decisions related to healthcare and rehabilitation services for people with SCI in China.

Study Limitations

1
The participants were mainly from Shanghai, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions of China.
2
A control group of non-SCI participants was not included, which would have provided a more apt comparison for known-groups validity.
3
Inter-rater reliability was not performed in this study.

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