Abstract
Computerized data collection is an efficient process and well accepted by patients with different disorders. Although computer-based systems have been used to assess health status and quality of life in various areas of healthcare, there is a lack of studies to investigate the effectiveness of these instruments in Brazil. The aims here were to assess the usability of the Portuguese-language versions of the Personal Health Scale (PHS) and the Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI) in southern Brazil and to determine the correlation between these two questionnaires. This was a cross-sectional community-based survey in which participants completed computerized versions of these two questionnaires. In a survey conducted in 16 different locations, 458 volunteers completed both questionnaires. Pearson correlation coefficients were generated between the scores of the two questionnaires. The inclusion criteria allowed all volunteers who were able to understand the questions in both questionnaires to participate in the study. The percentage of proper data collection via the computerized versions of the two questionnaires combined was 97.45%. A significant correlation (P < 0.01) between the PHS and the MQLI was observed. The computerized versions of the PHS and MQLI demonstrated efficient data collection patterns during the field survey trials. Health-related issues were significantly correlated with the overall experience of wellbeing and quality of life. The computerized versions of the PHS and MQLI are valid tools for research and clinical use in Brazil.
Highlights
The field of health status and assessment of quality of life measurements has been evolving as a formal discipline with structured theoretical foundations and specific methodology for more than 30 years.[1]
Information from three volunteers was not recorded in the Personal Health Scale (PHS) questionnaire due to human failure and electronic problems with the handheld computer
A significant correlation between the concepts of quality of life and health status, as evaluated by the Portuguese versions of the PHS and Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI), was observed using the electronic versions of these questionnaires. This is consistent with the finding of a correlation between the scores of the PHS and MQLI using the pen-and-paper methodology during the trial studies on both questionnaires.[25]. This evidence contrasts with the findings from one of the few studies designed to investigate a possible correlation between health status and quality of life, which revealed no overlapping performances between a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire and a generic health assessment tool for assessing volunteers affected by allergic conditions.[26]
Summary
The field of health status and assessment of quality of life measurements has been evolving as a formal discipline with structured theoretical foundations and specific methodology for more than 30 years.[1] During the latter part of the 20th century, patients’ impressions about their own health and wellbeing became a salient topic of investigation in healthcare.[2]. Quality of life has been defined as the individual’s perception of his position in life within the context of cultural and value systems, in relation to his objectives, beliefs and expectations.[3] Measurement of quality of life provides a benchmark against which the impact of IMD, PhD. IIResearcher, School of Physical Education, Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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