Health and quality of life in urology: issues in general urology and urological oncology.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Frequently, the term "quality of life" has been used to justify personal and professional decisions in all fields of medicine. Nowadays, quality of life studies are based on development and validation of sensitive measures of patient outcomes, incorporating functional status and perceived health status. Thus, quality of life has become an outcome as important as survival and effectiveness. METHODS: A systematic review using Pubmed and Medline was performed, searching for papers concerning health related quality of life and urology. The most relevant articles where questionnaires and interviews were described and validated were listed. RESULTS: Based on psychometric properties, a search between 1970 and 2007 identified a total of 25 recommendable articles with generic inventories and specific modules that have been developed, validated and used in clinical practice or research. Historical aspects, quality of life concepts, validation of questionnaires and structured interviews, and most used instruments in generic health-related quality of life, general urology and urological oncology have been discussed. CONCLUSIONS: A brief review of historic background of health related quality of life and urology was performed.