A DECADE OF THE RECOVERING QUALITY OF LIFE (REQOL) QUESTIONNAIRE: UPTAKE AND USE OF A RECOVERY-ORIENTED QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURE IN MENTAL HEALTH CLINICAL RESEARCH
Author(s)
An Thu Ta, PhD1, Julia Poritz, PhD2, Artem Antonov, MHEcon3.
1Cytel, Inc., London, United Kingdom, 2Cytel, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, 3Cytel, Inc., Rotterdam, Netherlands.
1Cytel, Inc., London, United Kingdom, 2Cytel, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, 3Cytel, Inc., Rotterdam, Netherlands.
OBJECTIVES: The concept of recovery in mental health dates back to the 1970s, with an emphasis on meaningful life activity. In 2016, the Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) questionnaire was introduced at ISPOR as a new tool for assessing recovery among users of mental health services. Our objective was to explore the uptake and application of the ReQoL over the past 10 years, with a focus on its use in clinical trials.
METHODS: PubMed and www.clinicaltrials.gov were searched using the terms ‘ReQoL’ and ‘Recovering Quality of Life’ from 2016 to present. Studies that included the ReQoL were identified and examined.
RESULTS: Of 49 PubMed records identified, four reported on randomized controlled trials. ClinicalTrials.gov yielded 26 trials, including one duplicate. In total, 29 unique trials using the ReQoL were identified, with increasing use over time. ReQoL was used to assess a primary outcome in eight trials (29%), and a secondary outcome in 18 (62%). Most studies were conducted in a single country (90%), predominantly the UK (45%), whereas three studies were multinational. Non-pharmacological interventions were most common (90%); three trials assessed pharmacological treatments. About half of studies (55%) used the short version (ReQoL-10), about a third (31%) used the ReQoL-20, 10% did not report the version used, and one study used both versions.
CONCLUSIONS: Although the ReQoL reflects the broader shift in mental health services from symptom reduction toward recovery-oriented care, this movement may not yet be evident in clinical research. Uptake of the ReQoL has been relatively limited over the past decade, with only 29 unique trials identified. Future research should explore barriers to implementation and opportunities to promote recovery-oriented outcomes in clinical trials.
METHODS: PubMed and www.clinicaltrials.gov were searched using the terms ‘ReQoL’ and ‘Recovering Quality of Life’ from 2016 to present. Studies that included the ReQoL were identified and examined.
RESULTS: Of 49 PubMed records identified, four reported on randomized controlled trials. ClinicalTrials.gov yielded 26 trials, including one duplicate. In total, 29 unique trials using the ReQoL were identified, with increasing use over time. ReQoL was used to assess a primary outcome in eight trials (29%), and a secondary outcome in 18 (62%). Most studies were conducted in a single country (90%), predominantly the UK (45%), whereas three studies were multinational. Non-pharmacological interventions were most common (90%); three trials assessed pharmacological treatments. About half of studies (55%) used the short version (ReQoL-10), about a third (31%) used the ReQoL-20, 10% did not report the version used, and one study used both versions.
CONCLUSIONS: Although the ReQoL reflects the broader shift in mental health services from symptom reduction toward recovery-oriented care, this movement may not yet be evident in clinical research. Uptake of the ReQoL has been relatively limited over the past decade, with only 29 unique trials identified. Future research should explore barriers to implementation and opportunities to promote recovery-oriented outcomes in clinical trials.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
PCR168
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
Mental Health (including addiction)