Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40833673›Full record

ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2025

Exploring subjective constructions of quality of life in patients, carers and the healthy general public: a Q-methodological study.

Zhuxin Mao, Aureliano Paolo Finch, Shenaz Ahmed, Guangjie Zhang, Yifan Ding, Zhihao Yang

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Studying different variations of ranking method to explore health related quality of life dimensions prioritization.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
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

6 authors.

Zhuxin MaoCentre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases (CHERMID), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Aureliano Paolo FinchEuroQol Office, EuroQol Research Foundation, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Shenaz AhmedLeeds Institute of Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Guangjie ZhangErasmus MC, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Yifan DingErasmus MC, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Zhihao YangErasmus MC, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. zhihao_yang_cn@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5468-0847

Funding

EuroQol Research Foundation EQ Project 1580-RA
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo explore similarities and differences in perceptions of quality of life (QoL) outcome, among different groups of populations, including patients, informal carers and the healthy general publics.

methodsThis study used Q-methodology, which combined both qualitative and quantitative components, to investigate the subjective constructions of QoL across the groups. We developed a list of 35 Q-sample items and collected a total of 151 Q-sort data for use in the standard by-person factor analytic procedure designed for Q-methodology. We also conducted post-sort interviews and obtained qualitative information about why the participants ranked the statements in certain ways.

resultsWe were able to identify four distinct viewpoints: Factor 1: Eat, sleep and other basic needs; Factor 2: Positive relationships, belongings and well-being; Factor 3: My own physical and mental health first; Factor 4: Physical health is the foundation of well-being. While Factor 4 was equally valued across all three categories of participants, Factor 2, which places a high value on positive relationships, was predominantly represented by carers. In contrast, patients tended to emphasise Factor 3, which focuses on individual feelings-particularly emotional and physical distress. Items related to pain, discomfort, and sleep were consistently identified as the most important across all four identified views.

conclusionsThis study presents the similarities and differences of the subjective constructions of QoL across patients, carers and the healthy general publics. It implies the variances of preferences in evaluating QoL, and such variances can consequently affect the measurement and evaluation of QoL.

Indexed as

CaregiversPatientsQuality of LifeAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesHealthPreferencesQ-methodologyQuality of lifeWell-being

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.