Recommendations from quality of life scales are not simple

doi:10.1136/bmj.325.7364.599/b

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Michael E Hyland, professor of health psychology (mhyland@plymouth.ac.uk)

University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA

EDITOR—As someone who is guilty of adding to the large number of disease specific quality of life (QOL) scales, let me add a note of caution to the pleas made by Garratt et al for guidance and recommendations for the users of these scales—however understandable that plea is.1 QOL scales are not like thermometers or spirometers, where the reading is independent of the type of patient.

A QOL scale is just a shopping bag of experiences (or questions) that are …