Inventory-Description

The QOLIE-31 is a brief and targeted 31-item questionnaire, based on the more extensive QOLIE-89. It includes 7 key dimensions that affect the quality of life of individuals with epilepsy:

Emotional Well-being: Assessment of the emotional impacts of epilepsy, such as anxiety and depression.

Social Functioning: The influence of epilepsy on social interactions and relationships.

Energy/Fatigue: Evaluation of overall energy levels and fatigue.

Overall Quality of Life: A subjective assessment of general quality of life.

Seizure Worry: Anxiety and fear about potential seizures.

Cognitive Function: The effect of epilepsy and medication on thinking, memory, and concentration.

Medication Effects: Evaluation of the side effects of antiepileptic drugs.

The QOLIE-31 uses a Likert scale to rate responses, where higher scores indicate a better quality of life.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data from the QOLIE-31 are collected through patient self-reporting and are used to:

Assess the overall quality of life in patients with epilepsy.

Identify areas most affected by epilepsy, providing a more holistic approach to treatment.

Evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, including medication.

Analyses applied to the data include:

Reliability analysis to ensure consistency in responses (e.g., calculation of Cronbach’s alpha).

Statistical analysis to compare scores before and after an intervention or to explore the correlations between the individual dimensions of quality of life.

Purpose

The primary goal of the QOLIE-31 is to provide an objective measure of the quality of life in individuals with epilepsy. Its purpose is to help healthcare professionals:

Identify the impact of epilepsy and its treatment on various aspects of a patient’s life.

Monitor changes in quality of life over time or as a result of therapeutic interventions.

Guide the provision of targeted care that addresses both the physical and psychosocial needs of the patient.

Calibration

The calibration of the QOLIE-31 includes the following steps:

Reliability analysis to determine the internal consistency of responses across the different dimensions.

Confirmatory factor analysis to validate the structure of the scale and ensure that the dimensions being measured are accurate.

Cross-validation in different populations with epilepsy to ensure the scale is reliable and applicable across various demographic characteristics.

Bibliography

Cramer, J. A., Perrine, K., Devinsky, O., & Bryant-Comstock, L. (1998). Development and cross-cultural translations of a 31-item quality of life in epilepsy inventory. Epilepsia, 39(1), 81-88.

Cramer, J. A., & Jacoby, A. (2002). Assessing quality of life in epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 3(5), 2-10.

Devinsky, O., Vickrey, B. G., Cramer, J., Perrine, K., Hermann, B. P., Meador, K., & Hays, R. D. (1995). Development of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory. Epilepsia, 36(11), 1089-1104.