Shoulder conditions and health related quality of life and utility: a current concepts review

Study of the outcome of treatment of shoulder conditions has emphasized subjective evaluation of outcomes including a variety of disease, region, and joint-specific tools. In response to the rapidly rising cost of health care, further interest has been directed to cost-effectiveness and value. Comparison of the outcomes of different shoulder conditions with each other, other musculoskeletal, and nonorthopedic conditions requires more generalized outcome tools, especially when considering cost-effectiveness and utility analysis. The concept of quality of life (QoL) was developed to satisfy this goal, and there are a variety of general health and QoL assessments tools available. The purpose of this study is to review the concept of health-related QoL and discuss health-related QoL measures as they relate to shoulder conditions.