Is measuring quality of life a public health issue? Lessons from Ontario,
Canada
Dennis Raphael
January 1996, 11 pages
Issues related to public health and quality of life measurement are explored. The relevance of quality of life measurement for public health will depend on the unit's conception of health, its interest in the determinants of health, and its approach towards influencing these determinants. Various quality of life models found in the health literature are reviewed. The implications of viewing quality of life as reflecting the human face of the broader determinants of health are considered. It is concluded that public health can increase its effectiveness by placing greater emphasis upon social policy analysis and advocacy efforts.