Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation : Conceptual Approaches, Issues, and Applications

This book convincingly argues that Quality of Life is the vital link between health promotion and rehabilitation. The contributors first review the conceptual basis for understanding and discussing quality of life in health promotion and education. They continue by addressing critical issues such as ethics, policy, quality assurance, and measurement - exploring applications of quality of life in the context of a wide range of current social issues and populations. Finally, they consider the implications for future research and practice.

The first volume to present a coherent picture and introduce a specific conceptual framework, Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation convincingly argues quality of life as the common concept linking health promotion and rehabilitation. Although quality of life issues are receiving increased attention from both researchers and service providers in the health arena, no other volume deals with the quality of life in terms of health promotion and rehabilitation. Following an introduction to key themes and concepts, contributors representing a broad spectrum of disciplines and perspectives review the conceptual basis for understanding and discussing quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation. This comprehensive volume discusses current social issues such as HIV and homelessness, abilities and disabilities such as communication disorders and the aging process, and major life activities such as employment and leisure as they relate to the quality of life. Various populations, including adolescents, the elderly, the homeless, and persons with AIDS, are represented. Finally, key themes are deliberated in terms of their implications for future conceptualization, research, practice, and policy development in health promotion and rehabilitation. Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation is essential reading for students, researchers, and practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines including health promotion, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, nursing, physical therapy, sociology, social work, psychology, and public health.