TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of the terms "Wellbeing" and "Quality of Life" in health sciences
T2 - a conceptual framework
AU - Salvador-Carulla, Luis
AU - Lucas, Ramona
AU - Ayuso-Mateos, José Luis
AU - Miret, Marta
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background and Objectives: The assessment of wellbeing is a top priority in health sciences. The aim of this paper is to review the history of the concept of wellbeing and "Quality of Life" (QoL), and to understand the theories and assumptions that guided this field in order to provide a conceptual framework that may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset (grouping of synonyms and semantically similar terms) of health-related wellbeing. Methods: The history of the concept of wellbeing and QoL was reviewed in order to provide a conceptual framework. Results: Huge differences exist on the definition of "Wellbeing" and its relationship with QoL, "Happiness" and "Functioning" in the health context. From a dimensional perspective, health related wellbeing could be regarded as an overarching construct characterised by asymmetrical polarity, where "wellbeing" embeds the concept of "ill-being" as "health" incorporates de concept of "disease". Conclusions: A common conceptual framework of these terms may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset of health-related wellbeing. This terminological clarification should be part of a new taxonomy of health-related wellbeing based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework that may facilitate knowledge transfer across different sectors and semantic interoperability for care management and planning.
AB - Background and Objectives: The assessment of wellbeing is a top priority in health sciences. The aim of this paper is to review the history of the concept of wellbeing and "Quality of Life" (QoL), and to understand the theories and assumptions that guided this field in order to provide a conceptual framework that may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset (grouping of synonyms and semantically similar terms) of health-related wellbeing. Methods: The history of the concept of wellbeing and QoL was reviewed in order to provide a conceptual framework. Results: Huge differences exist on the definition of "Wellbeing" and its relationship with QoL, "Happiness" and "Functioning" in the health context. From a dimensional perspective, health related wellbeing could be regarded as an overarching construct characterised by asymmetrical polarity, where "wellbeing" embeds the concept of "ill-being" as "health" incorporates de concept of "disease". Conclusions: A common conceptual framework of these terms may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset of health-related wellbeing. This terminological clarification should be part of a new taxonomy of health-related wellbeing based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework that may facilitate knowledge transfer across different sectors and semantic interoperability for care management and planning.
KW - Functioning
KW - Happiness
KW - Health terminology
KW - Nomenclature
KW - Quality of Life
KW - Wellbeing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84900993047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4321/S0213-61632014000100005
DO - 10.4321/S0213-61632014000100005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84900993047
SN - 0213-6163
VL - 28
SP - 50
EP - 65
JO - European Journal of Psychiatry
JF - European Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -