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Nursing Times Research
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The quality of life - A concept for research and practice

Peter Draper, BSc, PhD, RN

School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, University of Hull

David R. Thompson, BSc, MA, PhD, RN, FRCN, FESC

Department of Health Studies, University of York

This paper gives an overview of the concept of the quality of life as it is related to research and practice in nursing. The paper begins with an account of the concept's history, tracing attempts to measure quality of life to the post-war social indicators movement. This section also discusses problems with the concept's definition. Quantitative approaches to health-related quality of life are then described, with particular attention being given to issues of reliability and validity. The third section addresses qualitative approaches to the quality of life. The emphasis here is to outline a way of thinking about the quality of life that has the potential to inform practice. The approach described is based on the philosophical notion of eudaemonia, or human flourishing. In summary, this paper gives an overview of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (philosophical) approaches to the quality of life and applies these to research and practice in nursing and allied disciplines.

Key Words: Quality of life • Health-related quality of life • Philosophy in nursing • QALYs • Vulnerable people

Nursing Times Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, 648-657 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/136140960100600303
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