The effectiveness of health services must be judged by their impact on patients' health. This book, now updated and available for the first time in paperback, provides a user's guide to a variety of instruments designed to measure different aspects of patient outcomes in primary health care. The book introduces the conceptual and methodological issues involved in the measurement of needs and outcome. Then, drawing on British and American research, the authors select and critically review measures of health status and patient satisfaction. Each instrument reviewed is chosen on the basis of its reliability, validity and appropriateness for use in primary health care settings. Most of the questionnaires and schedules discussed are reproduced to enable the user to judge their suitability for a particular purpose. This edition includes full coverage of the most recent instrument to become widely used - the SF36.
