QUALITY-OF-LIFE AS AN OUTCOME VARIABLE AND A RISK FACTOR FOR TOTAL MORTALITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE - A STUDY OF MEN BORN IN 1913

Aim: To construct a simple assessment of the quality of life that can be used to evaluate medical treatment in light of the need to conserve resources and limit costs. Methods: The Goteborg Quality of Life Asse ssment was constructed in 1973 from the responses of men who were 50 y ears old at the time of the initial survey (1963) and were re-evaluate d 10 years later. The assessment covers 15 factors in the World Health Organization definition of health or well-being, and includes a sympt om questionnaire of 30 items relating to the most common elements of p hysical, mental and social well-being. Results: The assessment was val idated by determining the variation in these three principle component s of well-being as a function of age. The use of this assessment as an outcome variable for subjects with cardiovascular disease indicated s ignificantly lower quality of life scores, especially with regard to t he general well-being, fitness and energy of subjects with hypertensio n and congestive heart failure compared to subjects without these dise ases. When the assessment was evaluated as a risk factor for cardiovas cular disease and mortality, the results of univariate analysis showed that health, fitness and appetite were significantly correlated with total mortality, while multivariate analysis indicated that only healt h was a significant factor.