Title:A Review of the Psychometric Properties and Use of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RAQoL) in Clinical Research
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Author(s): Alice Heaney*, Jessica Stepanous, Matthew Rouse and Stephen P McKenna
Affiliation:
- Galen Research Ltd, Manchester, M1 5BY,United Kingdom
Keywords:
Big data, outcomes-based reimbursement, patient value, Quality of Life, RAQoL, rheumatoid arthritis.
Abstract: Background: Several Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) have been used in
studies of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Most of these assess Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL).
The exception is the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life questionnaire (RAQoL). This scale
measures the impact of RA and its treatment from the patient's perspective, making it suitable for
determining the value patients gain from interventions.
Objective: This review collates literature reporting on the efficacy of the RAQoL as a measure of
patient value in clinical studies.
Method: A literature search was conducted to identify published articles reporting on the use of the
RAQoL. Psychometric and clinical research studies were included in the review.
Results: Sixty-three full articles were identified. Psychometric analyses demonstrated that the
RAQoL meets the requirements for internal consistency, reproducibility and construct validity.
There is evidence to support the unidimensionality and responsiveness of the RAQoL. The measure
has been used in a wide range of research studies including interventional, correlational and nonexperimental
studies. Several studies found the RAQoL to be sensitive to change following interventions.
Conclusion: The RAQoL has excellent psychometric properties and can detect the impact of both
clinical and non-clinical interventions. As a patient-centric measure of patient value, the RAQoL
will also prove valuable in big data analytics and for use in outcomes-based reimbursement (OBR).
