The effectiveness of health services must be judged by their impact on patients' health. This book provides a user's guide to a variety of instruments designed to evaluate different aspects of patient outcomes in primary health care. Drawing on both American and British research, the authors have selected and critically reviewed measures of health status and patient satisfaction. The measures of health status are divided into sections dealing with physical function, mental health, social support, and multidimensional and disease specific measures. Each instrument reviewed has been chosen on the basis of its reliability, validity, and appropriateness for use in primary health care settings. Most of the questionnaires and schedules discussed are reproduced to enable the user to judge their suitability for a particular purpose. An introduction to conceptual and methodological issues in the measurement of needs and outcomes in health care is also included. This accessible book is the first of its kind to address the problem of measurement in primary health care and is an important reference text for professionals, students, and research workers concerned with health care evaluation.
