Reliability and validity of World Health Organization Quality of Life-100 in homeless substance-dependent veteran population

The number of homeless individuals and specifically homeless veterans is increasing. Accurate assessment of quality of life is an important need in working with this population because of the myriad problems encountered. However, the reliability and validity of quality-of-life instruments have not been assessed in this population. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the U.S. version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-100 in a homeless veteran population. Results found adequate internal consistency for all domain and most facet scores, while test-retest stability varied for the facet scores. We confirmed validity by using subsamples with physical, emotional, and social problems and by comparing scores from populations that returned to the community with employment and housing. Limitations and directions for future study are discussed.