I hear a lot about quality of life. Even medical treatment is paid for by my insurance based on improving quality of life. What's included in this idea?

You're right about a new interest in quality of life (QOL) issues. Once again, we can thank the Baby Boom Generation for changing the way we think about life and health. In the past, the focus was on living longer (or as long as possible).

Today's adults want more than that. They want to live longer and live well. This has brought about a change in how health problems are treated. Improving quantity and quality are equally important.

QOL is measured in different ways. One measure called the EuroQoL Questionnaire includes several categories: mobility, self-care, family or leisure activities, pain, and mood. This is a valid scale for measuring QOL used in health care studies.

Francisco M. Kovacs, MD, PhD, et al. Correlation Between Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life in Patients with Common Low Back Pain. In Spine. January 15, 2004. Vol. 29. No. 2. Pp. 206-210.