Assessment of quality of life in recovery settings.

Quality of life is a construct of intense interest to researchers and clinicians and is especially important with cardiovascular patients in recovery settings where the goal of care is to return the patient to a life style not diminished by illness or treatment. This article presents a discussion of a number of issues related to assessment of quality of life in recovery settings, including definition and dimensions of the construct, measurement, and design. Model development and testing is recommended as a crucial step in increasing the understanding of quality of life in this patient population.