1. James A. Lenker, MS, OTR/L, ATP OT 541 University at Buffalo
Quality of Life
James A. Lenker, MS, OTR/L, ATP
OT 541
University at Buffalo

2. Origins
Achieving complete physical, mental, and social well-being (World Health Organization, 1947)
Lyndon Johnson, Great Society speech – 1964
Implied domain: Standard of living

3. QOL – One definition
“Quality of life is the multidimensional evaluation, by both intrapersonal and social-normative criteria, of the person-environment system of the individual.” (M. Powell Lawton, 1991)
Collection of dimensions
Observed and self-report
Objective and subjective
Attribute of the P-E system

4. Powell’s Model

5. Critique of Health-Related Quality of Life (Lawton, 1997)
There is more to QOL than health
Other life aspects increase QOL
Measures are prone to biased responses if people are asked to attribute QOL to their health

6. So, What Do We Do?
“In summary, the user who wishes to measure QOL must first and foremost make his or her own choice about what is included in QOL. My four-sector model provides some guidance for such a choice.” (Lawton, 1997)

7. Canadian Centre of Health Promotion
QOL is, “the degree to which the person enjoys the important possibilities of his or her life" (Renwick & Brown, 1996).
Humanistic-existential model
Humans have needs
Physical, psychological, and spiritual
Affiliation and self-actualization
3 Elements of their Model
Being, belonging, and becoming.
Renwick, R., & Brown, I. (1996). Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation: Conceptual Approaches, Issues, and Applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

8. Principles of Renwick & Brown
QOL is multidimensional
QOL is bio-psycho-social
QOL appraisal must be holistic
QOL components are common to all people and the human condition, i.e. not different for people with disability
Disability doesn’t imply increased or decreased QOL
QOL meaning is individual

9. Renwick and Brown (con’t.)
Being is comprised of physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions;
Spiritual
Belonging is comprised of social, community, and ecological dimensions
Community
Becoming is constituted by personal growth, leisure, and practical.
Growth

10. Renwick & Brown’s Conceptualization