The Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36) was used to prospectively assess outcomes after endoscopic sinus surgery. Our study found that chronic rhinosinusitis has a significant adverse impact on patient-perceived functional status and quality of life. Endoscopic sinus surgery resulted in statistically significant improvement in both disease-specific symptoms and patient-perceived global health status at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. The SF-36 is recommended for use as the global health monitor in outcomes evaluation for chronic rhinosinusitis.