RESEARCH ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE - DISSEMINATION INTO PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Strategies and processes for the effective dissemination and diffusion of research findings on health-related quality of life (HQL) into pra ctical applications were explored at a workshop held in Montreal in Ap ril, 1994. A conceptual model for dissemination and diffusion of evide nce about HQL was used to identify five different target groups: HQL a ssessors, policy makers, planners of clinical trials, developers of cl inical practice guidelines, and those at the level of patient-practiti oner clinical decision making. A framework designed to facilitate the translation of fundamental research knowledge into effective action wa s then used as a starting point for discussions about priorities for r esearch on HQL. The most important problem identified at the workshop was how best to strike an appropriate balance between priorities deeme d to be important to those directly involved in HQL research, and prio rities deemed to be important to potential users of the results of HQL research?