Tuy nhiên, áp lực xã hội đang phát triển sử dụng chất lượng cuộc sống conceptÐeven cơ quan quản lý có xu hướng đòi hỏi rằng một hợp chất hướng tâm thần mới cải thiện không chỉ triệu chứng mà còn chất lượng của lifeÐhas dẫn đến các phím tắt có vấn đề trong việc phát triển phương pháp đánh giá. | 172 PSYCHIATRY IN SOCIETY disease which also cannot be measured by a single variable. Nevertheless the growing societal pressure to use the quality of life concept even regulatory bodies tend to require that a new psychotropic compound improve not only symptoms but also quality of life has led to problematic shortcuts in the development of assessment methods. Moreover there is a substantial overlap between the quality of life concept and other concepts such as disability social functioning social support or well-being 1 Often identical items appear in measurement instruments purporting to assess d ifferen t variables a fact which renders the interpretation of results of correlational analyses between these variables problematic. Although the concept of quality of life is vague or perhaps because it is vague it has an intuitive appeal for many different parties who are involved in managing health and disease. Quality of life seems to be understood by everyone patients their family members professionals biologically oriented as well as psychosocially and sociologically oriented the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory bodies politicians and the general public. The concept of quality of life may consequently have a large integrative potential in a health care environment which is characterized by ever increasing conflicts and debates on costs and OLI tcome. It provides a potential breath of fresh air in our understanding of health i11 ness and health ca re institutions 2 This is especially true for psychiatry where in the case of patients with persistent mental illness living in the community burnout in thei r ca rers a nd professionals can occur fairly quickly 3 4 The concept of quality of life as a primary target of helping activities as opposed to mere symptom reduction and prevention of relapse may help to unite forces and strengthen working alliances. Albrecht and Fitzpatrick 2 have identified four uses of the quality of life concept in medicine a as an outcome
