Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Worldwide economic constraints on health care systems have stressed the need to monitor the outcomes of care and the output of the health system. This is the second edition of a reference book that provides in-depth reviews of the quality of the leading health measurements that are used for these purposes. Its principal aim is to guide the reader in choosing among rival measurement methods and to score the instrument chosen. The book also provides a critical overview of the field of health measurement, with a technical introduction and discussion of the history and future directions for health measurements." "Eighty-eight measurements that evaluate health via questionnaires or rating scales are reviewed. Accounts of the 50 scales included in the first edition have been updated, the original chapters have been expanded to include new methods, and two new chapters on depression measurements and mental status testing have been added. The book covers measurements of physical disability, social health, psychological well-being, depression, mental status, pain, general health status and quality of life. Each chapter presents a tabular comparison of the quality of the instruments. The description of each method includes its purpose and conceptual basis, its reliability and validity, and a copy of the scale." "This book is intended as a reference work for researchers from the medical and social sciences, and for health professionals wishing to evaluate the progress of their patients. It has also been used as a text in health services research courses."--BOOK JACKET.