Use of a quality of life instrument to improve assessment of brain tumor patients in an outpatient setting.

Persons with brain tumors experience their illness in a way that is much larger than the sum of their symptoms. Using a QOL tool to improve assessment can assist the patient, family and clinician in considering all aspects of the experience of having a brain tumor. The tool selected should be easy to use, brief and address the major dimensions of quality of life. The Quality of Life Index is one such tool. The Quality of Life Index assists the clinician in assessing five major categories of a person's illness experience. These include the impact of the brain tumor diagnosis on work-related activities, activities of daily living, general health, support systems and outlook or mood. By using a quality of life instrument such as the Quality of Life Index to improve assessment, clinicians will be able to provide brain tumor patients with focused care to improve their daily lives.