• Valid for a population with mental health conditions
• Easy to complete
• Straightforward to score and interpret
• Considerable inputs of service users in the design and item selection
• Face and content validity with service users and clinicians
• Can be used to calculate QALYs

The ReQoL is widely recognised as an effective tool in Mental health assessment as evidenced by the choice of the tool for international standard sets by ICHOM for psychotic disorders  and personality disorders.

The ReQoL has also been validated for use within substance misuse populations, the following programmes and studies have used the ReQoL:

• Changing Futures programme
• Personalised care for people with excessive alcohol use following an episode of self-harm: a mixed methods community case study in a psychiatric liaison team. Article available here.

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• Responsive (sensitive to change)
• Excellent internal reliability
• Ability to discriminate between population groups in a way that is consistent with hypotheses
• Missing data negligible at item level
• No ceiling or floor effects

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In the development of ReQoL, qualitative and quantitative techniques were implemented to produce a psychometrically robust measure using inputs from service users with a broad range of mental health diagnoses and severity. A significant contribution was received, at all stages, from governance groups including a stakeholder group, an advisory group, a scientific group, clinicians, and an expert user group

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Pen and Paper	ePRO/eCOA – Electronic administration	Telephone Interview

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Users can access the tool at https://reqol-visualisation-tool.group.shef.ac.uk/

The tool is built around a digitally reproduced version of ReQoL-10 with the standard ten items presented in a way that retains the measurement properties of the original validated ReQoL-10 ensuring results are valid and equivalent to those gathered using the original, paper and pen version. Users can move between items, select appropriate responses and even skip items if needed. However, if two or more items are skipped then a valid score cannot be provided.  If only one item is skipped a score at the end will be provided, but not a visualisation.  If all items have been answered the final page will show:

·       Overall score

·       ReQoL bubble visualisation representing each theme

·       Questions, answers and scores

·       Total score by theme.

There is the facility to download or print the results so that they can be compared with previous scores or shared with other people. There is no facility to store data or record any personal information at all.

We are keen to hear how you use the tool and any feedback you might have from your patients/service users would be very welcome.

If you have any questions, please contact Lizzie (e.taylor-buck@sheffield.ac.uk).

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The Recovering Quality of Life – Utility Index (ReQoL-UI) is a recovery-focused generic preference based data analysis tool for extracting valuable health economics data from the existing Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) Patient Reported Outcome Measure.

More information can be found here.

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