WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL)
What It Measures
The WHOQOL asks people how they feel about their own life, including not just their health, but things like relationships, safety, finances, and daily activities. It was built by the World Health Organization to work fairly across different cultures, so the results reflect a person's own values and goals rather than one fixed idea of what a "good" quality of life looks like.
The shorter WHOQOL-BREF version is most commonly used in practice: 26 self-report items covering physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment, with two additional items on overall quality of life and general health. Occupational therapists and mental health clinicians use it with adults and older adults in community-based and outpatient settings, including for conditions like dysautonomia and stroke recovery, to establish a baseline and track meaningful change beyond symptom counts alone.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Free for non-commercial clinical use, commercial use requires a separate fee arrangement.
