Measures of health-related quality of life, which assess patients' symptoms, their functioning, and their satisfaction with their health status, have received increased attention. Quality-of-life measures specifically developed for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis have been reported, and generic quality-of-life measures have been validated in patients with diverse rheumatic diseases. Although many studies have assessed the psychometric properties of health status measures, few studies have focused on the interpretation and meaning of questionnaire results. New measures should identify the unique role they occupy in patient assessment.