| Abstract |
This technical report, describes the origins, validity, and value of a set of survey measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its partners for use in tracking population health status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in states and communities. The first four of these measures pertain to general self-rated health and recent days of physical health, mental health, and activity limitation. These measures have been part of the full sample Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) core since 1993 and were added, beginning in 2000, to the examination component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). An additional five measures of activity limitation and five questions on recent days of pain, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, and vitality constitute an optional quality-of-life module added to the BRFSS in 1995. The primary target audiences for this report are public health professionals with a current stake or potential interest in HRQOL measurement. The report identifies the policy origins of the Healthy Days measures, discusses how HRQOL differs from other health and social World Health Organization's definition of health. The demonstrated value of these measures and the continuous accumulation of public domain data have resulted in support from the CDC Disability, Women's Health, and Arthritis Programs. The HRQOL measures and data have also been used for research or program planning by the CDC Cardiovascular Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity, and HIV/AIDS Programs as well as by the Public Health Foundation, the Foundation for Accountability, the American Cancer Society, and several other government and academic programs. |
