Health‐Related Quality of Life in The Chinese Cultural Context: A Scoping Review Protocol
Shiwen Liu, Helen Rawson, Victoria TeamABSTRACT
Background and Aims
While numerous measures of health‐related quality of life have been developed, most are grounded in Western perspectives and may not fully capture culturally specific values and beliefs. In Chinese culture, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism shape people's perceptions of well‐being, health, and quality of life. These perceptions include some unique dimensions such as emotion control, weather adaptation, social adaptation, spirit, and complexion. Understanding these culturally embedded perspectives is essential for developing valid HRQoL measures, guiding patient‐centred care, and informing health policy. The aim of this protocol is to outline the process for a scoping review that will synthesise evidence on how quality of life and health‐related quality of life are understood among people from Chinese backgrounds.
Methods
Studies published in English from database inception to 2 December 2025 will be searched in databases including Ovid Medline, Ovid Emcare, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL EBSCO, and Scopus. Qualitative or mixed‐methods studies with distinct qualitative components that report understandings of health‐related quality of life among adults from Chinese backgrounds will be included. The quality of included studies will be appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A theory‐informed approach will be applied to data synthesis. Findings will be presented descriptively through tables and themes.
Results
The findings of this scoping review will highlight variations within this cultural context, which may inform future efforts to enhance the cultural relevance of health‐related quality of life frameworks.
Conclusion
In this protocol, we outline a transparent review process for a scoping review that will synthesise existing evidence on how quality of life and health‐related quality of life are perceived among people from Chinese backgrounds.
Protocol Registration
This scoping review protocol has been deposited in the Open Science Framework and can be accessed at