At Rula, we use something called Measurement-Informed Care (MIC). This means your provider uses short surveys to better understand your mental health over time.
- These surveys help track your progress.
- They give you and your provider a shared way to talk about symptoms.
- They make sure you’re getting the right support at the right time.
One of the surveys we use is a Quality of Life (QoL) survey. It focuses on key factors that influence a person’s quality of life, including relationships, daily functioning, motivation, and resiliency. Seeing your results can help start important conversations in care.
What is the QoL survey?
- QoL stands for Quality of Life
- This tool broadly explores how you are managing in your day to day life, this is referred to as “functional impairment”
- This can help your provider understand how much your symptoms are getting in the way of important areas of your life such as your relationships or work/school
What do my results mean?
Your score shows the level of functional impairment you may be experiencing:
| Score Range | What it May Mean |
| 0–11 | Feeling strained: Life may feel more difficult to manage right now. Your clinical symptoms could be making certain parts of your life trickier, or you may be experiencing a challenging event in an area of your life that’s triggering heightened symptoms. This is worth discussing with your provider. |
| 12–16 | Feeling balanced: You’re likely managing daily life and emotions relatively well, staying connected to your routines, relationships, and sense of purpose. You may experience general ups and downs but nothing that should be getting in the way of tending to the core components of your life. |
Important: Your score does not provide a diagnosis. Only a licensed medical professional can make a diagnosis. Think of this survey as a starting point for further conversation; your results give you and your provider valuable insight so you can take charge of your path forward.
Why is this helpful?
Your results can:
- Show patterns influencing your well-being, especially when used alongside other check-in tools like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7.
- Help you and your provider talk about what feels hardest right now.
- Guide the care plan and coping tools your provider may suggest.
Your scores may change from week to week in response to what is going on in your life - sometimes higher, sometimes lower. These changes help you and your provider understand what’s working, notice patterns, and adjust your care plan so it fits your needs.
What should I do while I wait to talk with my provider?
Here are a few things that may help right away:
- Write down any concerns or questions you have about your results to bring to your next session.
- Reflect on the areas of your life that feel hard right now - write these down. Then engage in a calming activity to ease any distress you have in the present moment.
- Remind yourself: It’s normal to feel unbalanced or overwhelmed sometimes. Don’t let your results define you.
When should I reach out sooner?
If your symptoms feel too hard to manage - for example, if they’re stopping you from sleeping, eating, working, or caring for yourself - let your provider know. This can also be a good time to use your safety plan!
If you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or feel unsafe, call 911 right away or dial 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Your QoL score is just one part of your story. The real power comes from the conversations you’ll have with your provider. Together, you can create a plan that fits your needs and strengths. By completing this survey, you’ve already shown courage and commitment to your well-being.
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