QualityMetric Offers Way to Measure the Impact of Sleep Problems on Individuals and...

QualityMetric Offers Way to Measure the Impact of Sleep Problems on
Individuals and Groups

MOS Sleep Scale Now Available for Use in Clinical Trials and Population Health
Monitoring

LINCOLN, R.I., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- There are few things as vital to health
and well-being as a good night's sleep. Yet millions of us -- nearly 50
million according to the National Sleep Foundation -- suffer from chronic
sleep problems or disorders. Every year, more and more scientific studies are
showing correlations between poor or insufficient sleep and disease. Now there
is a simple, easy way to quantify and measure sleep problems with patient
populations.

The MOS Sleep Scale was originally developed in the Medical Outcomes Study
(MOS), a four-year observational study of the health outcomes for chronically
ill patients. The MOS Sleep Scale measures six dimensions of sleep, including
initiation, maintenance (e.g. staying asleep), quantity, adequacy, somnolence
(e.g. drowsiness), and respiratory impairments (e.g. shortness of breath,
snoring). Disturbed sleep has a major impact on quality of life and is often a
common symptom of many other chronic conditions, such as chronic pain and mood
disorders.

"According to a new study by Marketdata, sleep is a $23.7 billion-a-year
industry in the United States," reports Jeff Hallowell, Vice President of
Business Development at QualityMetric. "Measuring the impact of sleep
problems, as well as demonstrating the effectiveness of products developed to
alleviate sleep disorders, can be a very valuable tool for pharmaceutical
manufacturers, public health officials, and healthcare providers."

QualityMetric distributes translations of two versions of the MOS Sleep Scale:
a 12 question version and a six question version. The 12 question version is
available in 85 language translations and the six question version is
available in 61 language translations. The forms have a standard four-week
recall period. The reliability and validity of the MOS Sleep Scale have been
evaluated in a number of disease areas, including neuropathic pain, restless
leg syndrome, overactive bladder, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has also been
evaluated in the general U.S. population. A recent literature search yielded
80 citations in which the MOS Sleep Scale had been used, including 14 clinical
trials.

To learn more about the MOS Sleep Scale, please click here.

About QualityMetric Incorporated:

QualityMetric works with the world's largest healthcare and life sciences
companies to measure health outcomes. Our products help market new drugs and
biologics, track health improvement or decline, screen populations for
disease, and identify future health risks. QualityMetric's patient-reported
outcome(PRO) surveys provide scientifically valid assessments of both physical
and mental health. Our PROs include the SF-36v2(R), SF-12v2(R), and SF-8(TM)
Health Surveys, SF-10(TM) Health Survey for Children, Asthma Control Test(TM)
(ACT(TM)), Pain Impact Questionnaire(TM) (PIQ-6(TM)), and DYNHA(R) Dynamic
Health Assessments. Our Outcomes Insight Consulting(TM) Division can develop
customized PROs and provide in-depth analysis of the results. QualityMetric's
founder and Chief Science Officer, John E. Ware, Jr., PhD is a thought-leader
in the field of psychometrics and health outcome measurement. Visit us at
www.qualitymetric.com.

SOURCE QualityMetric Incorporated

Jim O'Connor of QualityMetric Incorporated, +1-401-334-8800, ext. 204,
joconnor@qualitymetric.com