Abstract
BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly measured as an outcome for clinical and health services research. However, relatively little is known about how non-health factors affect HRQOL. Personality is a potentially important factor, yet evidence regarding the effects of personality on HRQOL measures is unclear.MethodsThis systematic review examined the relationships among aspects of personality and HRQOL. Eligible studies were identified from Medline and PsycINFO. The review included 76 English-language studies with HRQOL as a primary outcome and that assessed personality from the psychological perspective. Individuals with various health states, including ill (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disorders), aging, and healthy, were included in this review study.ResultsSome personality characteristics were consistently related to psychosocial aspects more often than physical aspects of HRQOL. Personality characteristics, especially neuroticism, mastery, optimism, and sense of coherence were most likely to be associated with psychosocial HRQOL. Personality explained varying proportions of variance in different domains of HRQOL. The range of variance explained in psychosocial HRQOL was 0 to 45% and the range of explained variance in physical HRQOL was 0 to 39%.ConclusionsPersonality characteristics are related to HRQOL. Systematic collection and analysis of personality data alongside HRQOL measures may be helpful in medical research, clinical practice, and health policy evaluation.
Highlights
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness be affected by psychological characteristics
Personality characteristics, especially neuroticism, mastery, optimism, and sense of coherence were most likely to be associated with psychosocial HRQOL
Systematic collection and analysis of personality data alongside HRQOL measures may be helpful in medical research, clinical practice, and health policy evaluation
Summary
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness be affected by psychological characteristics. There is a general consensus that personality is a trait (a stable tendency to react a certain way) rather than a state (a reaction to an immediate situation). This distinction is of particular interest for research and evaluation, because personality influences an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors [5, 6]. Two personality measurement frameworks are commonly used to guide personality research: Eynsenck’s Three-Factor Model, which comprises neuroticism, extraversion, and psychoticism [7]; and the Five-Factor Model, which comprises neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience [8]. Personality is a potentially important factor, yet evidence regarding the effects of personality on HRQOL measures is unclear
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