About TCQOLI

The Thyroid Cancer Quality of Life Index (TCQOLI) is a preference-based health assessment tool designed to measure quality of life in individuals living with or recovering from thyroid cancer. The instrument combines patient-reported outcomes with a validated multiattribute scoring model to produce a standardized quality-of-life score.

TCQOLI captures domains known to be particularly relevant to thyroid cancer patients, including physical symptoms, emotional health, cognitive effects, and treatment-related impacts. The goal is to provide a structured, reproducible method for evaluating overall health-related quality of life.

What this tool measures

TCQOLI evaluates multiple dimensions of quality of life through domain-oriented questions. These domains include:

• Fear of recurrence
• Appearance changes
• Financial burden
• Voice function
• Swallowing difficulties
• Pain interference
• Depression or mood
• Fatigue/energy levels
• Cognitive functioning
• Reproductive/fertility concerns (10-question assessment only)

Each domain is measured using standardized response levels that correspond to increasing degrees of health burden. Unlike simple questionnaires that sum responses, TCQOLI applies a multiattribute utility framework that accounts for both severity and relative importance of different health domains.

How TCQOLI scoring works (technical overview)

TCQOLI uses an additive multiattribute utility model (MAUT). Each domain contributes to the overall score through two components:

1. Domain-specific disutility values: each response level corresponds to a calibrated disutility value derived from patient preference research.
2. Domain weights: each domain is assigned a weight representing its relative contribution to overall quality of life.

The website first computes the overall unscaled disutility, also referred to on the results page as the burden score with an asterisk to indicate that it is not itself a utility measure:

u_bar(x) = sum(weight x domain disutility)

It then converts that value into the displayed utility score using rawUtility = 1 - u_bar(x) and finalUtility = rawUtility x 0.87 + 0.13. The primary displayed score is the final utility on a 0 to 1 scale, where 0 represents dead and 1 represents full health. The unscaled disutility or burden score is shown only as a secondary technical value; interpretation should follow the utility-based approach described in the paper.

Why there are two versions

TCQOLI includes two versions:

• 10-question assessment: includes a domain assessing concerns related to fertility and reproduction when those factors are relevant.
• 9-question standard assessment: excludes the fertility domain when fertility-related concerns are not applicable for any reason.

The scoring method remains the same; only the set of domains included in the model changes.

Who it's for

• Patients interested in understanding how different aspects of health affect overall quality of life.
• Clinicians seeking a structured assessment tool.
• Researchers studying thyroid cancer outcomes and survivorship.

This website provides an interactive calculator version of the instrument for informational and educational use.

Technical implementation

• The online calculator collects responses locally in the browser.
• It applies the validated additive multiattribute scoring algorithm in JavaScript.
• It does not store or transmit personal health information.
• All calculations occur client-side to preserve privacy.

Data and privacy

This website does not store, transmit, or retain patient data. All scoring is performed locally in your browser, and responses are not saved after you leave the page unless you choose to print or save them yourself.

Downloads

Download the TCQOLI questionnaire PDF and the TCQOLI calculator CSV from the downloads page.

Disclaimer: This tool is intended for informational and research support purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical judgment or medical advice.