The tremendous progress in QOL science in the past 20 years.

摘要

IN THE past 20 years we have witnessed a remarkable transition in oncology to a dual focus on quality of life (QOL) in addition to length of life. Nurse clinicians and nurse scientists have been among the front-runners in promoting QOL as a key concept for evaluating the impact of health care. This concept is uniquely suited for nursing, giving us the means to convey what we strive for in our care; to explain why care for the whole patient matters. In 1990 Seminars in Oncology Nursing published a groundbreaking issue focusing on the importance of QOL in cancer care. Since then, there has been exponential growth in the sophistication in the field of QOL, as well as an overwhelming number of published reports. This issue of Seminars provides an examination of the tremendous progress in QOL science in the past 20 years, as well as novel innovations that lead us into the future.