Scale Overview
The Spitzer Quality-of-Life Index – QL-Index (Self-assessment) was developed by Walter O. Spitzer, A. J. Dobson, J. Hall, et al. (1981). It is designed to measure Quality of Life. The scale is intended for use with Cancer and chronically ill patients.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 5 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Activity, Daily living, Health, Support, Outlook.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Activity |
1 |
1 |
| Daily living |
2 |
1 |
| Health |
3 |
1 |
| Support |
4 |
1 |
| Outlook |
5 |
1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = High functioning / Well-being (Scores 2 points), 2 = Moderate functioning / Well-being (Scores 1 point), 3 = Low functioning / Well-being (Scores 0 points).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 10. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Quality of Life: 0 – 4
- Moderate Quality of Life: 5 – 8
- High Quality of Life: 9 – 10
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.