Analysis of the scientific production in the health's area about quality of life in Brazil between 2000 and 2005: a bibliographical study

Abstract

The search for important current themes is a challenge to be overcame in the  scientific researches accomplishment. For being a complex subject and it suffers interferences of several factors, the quality of life (QoL) becomes a great interest theme for the health’s area.  We aimed to analyze the scientific production in the health area about "quality of life” between 2000 and 2005. The bibliographical research felt with national brazilian newspapers QUALIS/CAPES "A" or international "C" or "B", available in Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO). 82 articles were analyzed, and 26 (32%) were published in 2005. The more extensively researched areas of the health had been the Medicine (31 articles) and Nursing (23 articles). The quantitative methodological approach was used in 51 articles (62%) and more of the half of the total (45 articles) didn’t make to a quality of life concept  relating with chronic diseases. About the use of instruments for QoL avaliation, they had deserved prominence "Short Form Health Survey" and others of the World Organization of Health. Although widely spread out, the quality of life continues a complex term, for the subjective and dynamic characteristics, and for the suffered influence for intrinsic and extrinsic factors to the individual, requesting larger studies.