International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL)
Together, we are creating a future in which patient perspective is integral to health research, care and policy
ISOQOL is a global community of researchers, clinicians, health care professionals, industry professionals, consultants, & patient research partners advancing health related quality of life research (HRQL).
10/17/2025
The 2025 Annual Conference virtual platform and mobile app are now available for attendees! Connect with fellow attendees, build your personal schedule, access the complete final program, and more.
🚨 LAST CALL: online registration closes Wednesday, 15 October at 11:59 pm CDT. Reserve your spot now to join us in Milwaukee or virtually! https://buff.ly/1ItEcF9
Onsite registration for the in-person conference will be available starting 22 October.
10/07/2025
Only one week remains to register online for ! Online registration closes Wednesday, 15 October at 11:59 pm CDT, so reserve your spot today. Register now at https://buff.ly/EcV9ela.
10/03/2025
Don't miss the SIG symposia at ! Join one of these sessions on Wednesday, the pre-conference day, for educational content related to the special interest and expertise of the SIG hosting. Add your ticket today to your in-person conference registration! Learn more: https://buff.ly/jTJvrWt
10/01/2025
Submit your application today to become an Associate Editor! Volunteer with the Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes or the journal Quality of Life Research. Lend your expertise and make an impact in the field. Learn more at https://buff.ly/Liz8mUR.
09/29/2025
ICYMI: Online registration for 2025 remains available through 15 October at 11:59 pm CDT! Register today at https://buff.ly/3rGvVOW.
09/26/2025
Socialize with your colleagues and build new connections at the Social Event! Join us at the conference hotel to toast another successful year of quality of life research. Details at https://buff.ly/dTAoLGp.
09/24/2025
Submit your paper today to be considered for the QLR special issue “Quality of life in people with mental disorders – beyond global scores.” Details here: https://buff.ly/9PTXLqa
09/22/2025
Today is the last day to register for 2025 at the advanced rate! Prices increase tomorrow, and online registration will remain open until 15 October at 11:59 pm CDT. Register today for the virtual or in-person conference at https://buff.ly/OsXWkht.
09/19/2025
The roundtables are informal meetings with limited attendance focused on networking and discussing a specific topic. Only a handful of spaces remain for Roundtable 7! Take a look and purchase your ticket today: https://buff.ly/PdcIwhx
09/17/2025
Volunteer opportunity! Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes seeks a new Associate Editor to begin a three-year term in 2025. Details on the position and how to apply at our website: https://buff.ly/nHUhRch
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ISOQOL’s roots are found in the publication of the journal, Quality of Life Research (QLR), first published in February 1992. Two years later, ISOQOL was officially established as a nonprofit society whose purpose was to “promote the exchange of information about QOL and its investigation throughout the world.” To this day, ISOQOL endorses QLR as “an official journal of ISOQOL.”
The ISOQOL Annual Conference
The Inaugural ISOQOL Annual Conference convened on 3 February 1994 in Brussels, Belgium. The two-day meeting was attended by over 200 participants. The conference showcased 65 oral presentations and 72 poster presentations whose abstracts were published in Volume 3, Issue 1 of QLR.
During the conference, ISOQOL was formed in an inaugural business meeting open to the public. During this meeting, Drs. Donald Patrick (President) and Robert Kaplan (Vice President) led discussions regarding the society’s mission, name, bylaws, journal, functions, membership and future conferences. An official call for members was released the following August.
Growth and Expansion
Membership grew to include roughly 400 members by the year 2000. During this time, ISOQOL expanded its mission statement to say:
“The mission of ISOQOL is to advance the scientific study of HRQL and other PCOs to identify effective interventions, enhance the quality of health care and promote the health of populations.”
Membership and the field of HRQL research continued to grow. Today, membership has more than doubled since 2000. ISOQOL boasts multiple yearly events and numerous educational initiatives. In 2017, ISOQOL launched the Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes (JPRO). JPRO is an open access journal owned and endorsed by ISOQOL.
Looking to the Future
In 2015, membership growth prompted ISOQOL Leadership to reevaluate ISOQOL’s stance as a society. In the following years, the Board added the patient research partner (PRP) membership type, revised the ISOQOL mission statement to include health care and policy, created a vision statement and patient engagement statement, and developed a five-year strategic plan.