Health-related quality of life measure based on the minimum data set

Objectives: To introduce a health-related quality of life measure for home care and institutional longtermcare settings based on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI2).Methods: Health attributes of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) were identified, and suitableconstructs were determined. Items from the MDS were mapped to the HUI2. Scores for the MinimumData Set Health Status Index (MDS-HSI) were calculated using the HUI2 scoring function. Measurementproperties are examined and reported. HRQOL scores were compared across study populations andto an external reference population. Random samples were drawn from long-term care clients in privatehouseholds (n=377), supportive housing apartments (n=80), two residential care facilities (n=166),and a chronic care hospital (n=274) in Ontario, Canada. All sampled residents were assessed forhealth-related items using the MDS.Results: The MDS-HSI results provide preliminary evidence of good validity. Institutional populationshad lower overall HRQOL scores than community populations. Comparisons to existing Canadian nationaldata support construct validity.Conclusions: The MDS-HSI provides a summary outcome measure and an indicator of health status inthe six supporting attributes. Longitudinal research is required to assess the sensitivity of the measure tochanges over time. Further research is also required to establish the consistency between the preferenceweights used in this application of the HUI2 and those thatwould be derived from a frail elderly population