Quality of Life Among Family Caregivers of Individuals With Rare Diseases: Web-Based Population Study on the Validity and Reliability of the Polish World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Questionnaire

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JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2025 Jul 18;11:e72590. doi: 10.2196/72590.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Caring for individuals with rare diseases (RDs) presents unique challenges that can significantly impact caregivers' quality of life (QoL). The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) is a widely used tool for assessing QoL across different populations.OBJECTIVE: This study examines the QoL of caregivers of individuals with RDs and evaluates the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF in this population.METHODS: A self-administered, anonymous, computer-assisted web-based survey was conducted among family caregivers of individuals with RDs in Poland between March and August 2024. Due to the lack of a national registry of patients with RDs, participants were recruited through convenience sampling via associations, foundations, and organizations of patients with RDs. Eligibility criteria included being 18 years and older of age, speaking Polish, being a caregiver of a person with a confirmed RD diagnosis, and providing informed consent. The survey included sociodemographic questions and the Polish version of the WHOQOL-BREF, which assesses QoL across 4 domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach α, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the instrument's structural validity.RESULTS: A total of 942 caregivers of individuals with various RDs participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the 4-domain structure, with further improvement in a finally modified WHOQOL-BREF model (χ2243=1043.0; P