Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33153441›Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2020

Quality of life and mortality in the general population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aung Zaw Zaw Phyo, Rosanne Freak-Poli, Heather Craig, Danijela Gasevic, Nigel P Stocks, David A Gonzalez-Chica, Joanne Ryan

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 125 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
125citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

125 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Systematic review of the factor structure of WHOQOL-bref in adult population.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
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  4. A systematic review of quality of life (QoL) studies using the CASP scale in older adults.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2024
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  14. Baseline health-related quality of life predicts falls: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2022
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65 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Aung Zaw Zaw PhyoSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Rosanne Freak-PoliSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Heather CraigSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Danijela GasevicSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Nigel P StocksDiscipline of General Practice, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
David A Gonzalez-ChicaDiscipline of General Practice, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Joanne RyanSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. joanne.ryan@monash.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7039-6325

Funding

Monash University Monash International Tuition Scholarship and Monash Graduate Scholarship Student ID: 30072360National Health and Medical Research Council Dementia Research Leader Fellowship (APP1135727)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQuality of life (QoL) is multi-dimensional concept of an individual' general well-being status in relation to their value, environment, cultural and social context in which they live. This study aimed to quantitatively synthesise available evidence on the association between QoL and mortality in the general population.

methodsAn electronic search was conducted using three bibliographic databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Inclusion criteria were studies that assessed QoL using standardized tools and examined mortality risk in a non-patient population. Qualitative data synthesis and meta-analyses using a random-effects model were performed.

resultsOf 4184 articles identified, 47 were eligible for inclusion, involving approximately 1,200,000 participants. Studies were highly heterogeneous in terms of QoL measures, population characteristics and data analysis. In total, 43 studies (91.5%) reported that better QoL was associated with lower mortality risk. The results of four meta-analyses indicated that higher health-related QoL (HRQoL) is associated with lower mortality risk, which was consistent for overall HRQoL (HR 0.633, 95% CI: 0.514 to 0.780), physical function (HR 0.987, 95% CI: 0.982 to 0.992), physical component score (OR 0.950, 95% CI: 0.935 to 0.965), and mental component score (OR 0.980, 95% CI: 0.969 to 0.992).

conclusionThese findings provide evidence that better QoL/HRQoL was associated with lower mortality risk. The utility of these measures in predicting mortality risk indicates that they should be considered further as potential screening tools in general clinical practice, beyond the traditional objective measures such as body mass index and the results of laboratory tests.

Indexed as

Mass ScreeningQuality of LifeHumansHealth-related quality of lifeLife qualityMeta-analysisMortalityPredictorQuality of lifeReview

Identifiers

PMID33153441
PMCPMC7646076

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.