A Review of Generic Frameworks and Scales for Measuring Quality of Life and Well-Being: Toward Finding the Right Ruler

Assessing quality of life (QOL) and well-being ideally requires considering a broad range of measurable factors. This article reviews the various frameworks of QOL and well-being published in the literature, with the aim of comparing their domains. Moving forward, this study elaborates on the justifications and applications of the recent scale. The previously established QOL and well-being scales identified include the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS), WHOQOL-BREF, and the Significant Quality of Life Measure (SigQOLM). A total of 41 domains were compared and discussed. The WHOQOL-BREF (13/26 = 50.0%) and SigQOLM (33/69 = 47.8%) incorporate a balanced item set that measures both health and non-health elements. In SigQOLM, the majority of indicators for QOL and well-being (39/41) are represented with more than one item. Thus, SigQOLM provides a more comprehensive framework for assessing QOL and well-being compared to earlier scales. Therefore, researchers, policymakers, and healthcare providers can utilize SigQOLM to gain a deeper understanding of the broader implications of healthcare and policy interventions on people’s lives.