Reliability, validity, and application of the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine versus haloperidol.

Schizophrenia leads to impairments in mental, social, and physical functioning, which should be included in evaluations of treatment. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the reliability and validity of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) for schizophrenic patients, to characterize perceived functioning and well being and to compare short-term change in SF-36 scores for patients treated with olanzapine or haloperidol. RESEARCH DESIGN: Data were obtained from a randomized, double-blind trial comparing these agents for safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness. A 6-week acute treatment portion preceded a 46-week "responder extension" phase. SUBJECTS: A subsample (n = 1,155) completing a pre-treatment SF-36 provided data for this study. MEASURES: Psychometric analyses were conducted, and perceived level of functioning was compared with that for the US adult population. Change from baseline to 6 weeks was examined by treatment group. RESULTS: Clear evidence was obtained for the instrument's reliability and validity for these patients. There were marked deficits in General health, Vitality, Mental health, Social functioning, and in Role limitations resulting from both physical and emotional problems. Olanzapine-treated patients improved in 5 of 8 domains to a significantly greater degree than did haloperidol patients. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 can be a reliable and valid measure of perceived functioning and well being for schizophrenic patients. The perceptions of functioning can be valuable indices of disease burden and can help to demonstrate the effectiveness of newer antipsychotic medications such as olanzapine.     

Psychometric evaluation of the 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials

BACKGROUND: The psychometric properties of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), a subset of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), have been tested in the general population and certain disease states. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SF-12 as a generic measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient populations in clinical trials. METHODS: Data were aggregated from 5 clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in OA (n = 651) and RA (n = 693) patients. Patient assessments in these trials were made using the SF-36 and commonly used clinical measures of OA and RA at baseline and after up to 6 weeks of treatment. For the items of the SF-36 contained in the SF-12, the item missing rate, computability of scores, floor and ceiling effects, factor structure, and item-component correlations were evaluated. Clinical variables and correlations of physical component summary (PCS-12) and mental component summary (MCS-12) scores of the SF-12 with the corresponding SF-36 component summary scores (PCS-36 and MCS-36) were also examined. Analyses were conducted separately for OA and RA patients. RESULTS: A low individual SF-12 item missing rate (0.29% to 2.30%) and a high percentage score computability (90.9%-94.3%) were observed at baseline. No floor or ceiling effects at baseline were observed. The scree plot confirmed the 2-factor structure of the SF-12 items. Items belonging to the physical component correlated more strongly with the PCS-12 than with the MCS-12; similarly, items belonging to the mental component correlated more strongly with the MCS-12 than with the PCS-12. The correlations between the PCS-12 and PCS-36 and between the MCS-12 and MCS-36 ranged from 0.92 to 0.96 (P < 0.001) at baseline and at week 2, 4, or 6. Significant correlations ranging from -0.09 to -0.58 (P < 0.05) were observed between the SF-12 scores and clinical variables. CONCLUSION: The SF-12 appears to be a psychometrically sound tool for the assessment of HRQoL in OA and RA patients.     

Longitudinal application of the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey with not-in-treatment crack-cocaine users

BACKGROUND: The Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 has been used infrequently with substance abusers. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to use the SF-36 to assess changes in the health status of crack-cocaine users over time, to determine the characteristics of users who change, to assess the influence of frequency of crack use on SF-36 health status, and to determine the utility of the SF-36 with crack users. DESIGN: A multilevel model was used to analyze data that were collected every 6 months over a 2-year period. SUBJECTS: The sample consisted of 439 not-in-treatment crack-cocaine users. MEASURES: The SF-36 was administered at baseline and follow-up interviews. Data on the frequency of crack-cocaine use were also collected. RESULTS: On average, SF-36 health status remained fairly static during the study although statistically significant increases in scores occurred on the social functioning and role-emotional subscales. Variation in subjects' health trajectories occurred but was not, for the most part, explained by individual characteristics. Frequency of crack use was negatively related to scores on the physical functioning, social functioning, and mental health subscales. Most subscales did not reflect what are commonly recognized to be the health-compromising effects of cocaine use, raising questions about the use of the SF-36 with illicit drug users. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in crack users' SF-36 health status were uncommon. Frequency of crack use was negatively associated with health status. Several SF-36 subscales may be helpful in studies involving illicit drug users in which limited assessments of health status are needed.     

应用简明健康测量量表评估美沙酮维持治疗患者生活质量

目的:对比接受与未接近美沙酮维持治疗的海洛因依赖者健康相关生活质量。方法:①选择2004-04/05在云南省个旧市美沙酮维持治疗门诊接受美沙酮维持治疗的海洛因依赖者作为治疗组(95例)。纳入标准:符合美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第4版中海洛因依赖诊断标准;至2004-11时尚未脱失;采用滚雪球方法,于2004-11在该市社区内寻找从未接受过美沙酮维持治疗的海洛因依赖者作为对照组(37例),均符合美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第4版中海洛因依赖诊断标准。纳入对象均对调查项目知情同意。②根据患者的日常海洛因使用量、使用方式、末次使用量决定美沙酮首次剂量,一般<40mg;导入期则根据患者的戒断症状控制情况逐渐加量。维持期的剂量差异较大,5～160mg/d,多超过60mg/d。同时根据治疗组患者的需求,每月定期开展心理干预小组活动。对照组患者未接受美沙酮维持治疗或任何戒毒措施、干预活动,评估期间时仍然在使用海洛因。③治疗组于治疗刚开始及治疗8个月后,对照组于治疗组治疗8个月后同期采用简明健康测量量表对两组对象进行健康相关生活质量评估。该量表包括躯体功能、躯体角色、肌体疼痛、总健康状况、生命力、社会功能、情绪角色及心理健康8个维度,评分越高表明生活质量越好。④计量和计数资料差异比较分别采用t检验和χ2检验。结果:治疗组95例和对照组37例均进入结果分析。参加美沙酮维持治疗8个月后,治疗组简明健康测量量表中6个维度躯体角色、总健康状况、生命力、社会功能、情绪角色及心理健康的评分分别为(6.59±1.48),(15.54±3.97),(16.20±3.91),(8.39±2.29),(4.72±1.17),(20.19±2.68)分,高于治疗刚开始时和对照组[(5.54±1.51),(13.37±3.58),(13.19±3.81),(7.17±2.21),(3.94±1.11),(17.05±4.24)分;(5.43±1.29),(11.83±3.84),(12.89±3.79),(6.71±2.12),(4.06±1.08),(15.77±4.45)分,t=3.02～7.03,P<0.01];躯体功能得分也较治疗前有了明显提高[(27.16±3.24),(26.48±3.34)分,t=1.96,P<0.05],但与对照组比较,差异不明显[(26.31±2.78)分,P>0.05]。治疗组肌体疼痛评分与治疗刚开始时和对照组相近(P>0.05)。结论:美沙酮维持治疗可有效提高海洛因依赖者的健康相关生活质量,但短期的维持治疗对肌体疼痛改善不明显。     

应用中文版36条简明健康状况调查表评估冠心病患者接受康复干预后生活质量的变化

目的:应用36条简明健康状况调查表评估康复干预前后冠心病患者生活质量变化。方法:①选择2002-02/05在心内科住院的冠心病患者60例,男49例,女11例。均同意接受指定量表评估。②对患者进行常规的药物治疗的同时,加规范化的康复治疗,康复治疗包括:运动疗法、心理护理、健康教育等。运动时间和强度从最低限度开始,运动时间每天10～20min,每周3次。③采用中文版36条简明健康状况调查表犤共有36个条目分8个维度(生理功能、生理职能、躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康)和1个健康变化自评。本次采用正向赋分,即生活质量总分越高,生活质量越好犦评估患者生活质量。在患者入院及出院时发放量表。④计量资料差异比较采用配对资料的t检验。结果:冠心病患者60例均完成量表评估,并进入结果分析。36条简明健康状况调查表评分:冠心病患者出院时,生理职能、躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康、健康变化维度评分均明显高于入院时(45.67±37.26,72.98±18.38,56.59±14.33,73.82±12.06,76.58±11.12,71.15±22.86,81.06±10.58,58.66±15.92;32.36±42.13,61.43±19.70,45.83±15.43,61.83±15.21,59.26±18.07,39.42±34.33,70.21±13.22,31.23±16.19,t=2.16～5.86,P<0.05～0.01)。结论:①康复干预可改善冠心病患者生活质量。②36条简明健康状况调查表可较为有效评价冠心病患者生活质量。     

应用中文版36条简明健康状况调查表评估冠心病患者接受康复干预后生活质量的变化

目的：应用36条简明健康状况调查表评估康复干预前后冠心病患者生活质量变化。方法：①选择2002—02／05在心内科住院的冠心病患者60例，男49例，女11例。均同意接受指定量表评估。②对患者进行常规的药物治疗的同时，加规范化的康复治疗，康复治疗包括：运动疗法、心理护理、健康教育等。运动时间和强度从最低限度开始，运动时间每天10～20min，每周3次。③采用中文版36条简明健康状况调查表[共有36个条目分8个维度（生理功能、生理职能、躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康）和1个健康变化自评。本次采用正向赋分，即生活质量总分越高，生活质量越好]评估患者生活质量。在患者入院及出院时发放量表。④计量资料差异比较采用配对资料的t检验。结果：冠心病患者60例均完成量表评估，并进入结果分析。36条简明健康状况调查表评分：冠心病患者出院时，生理职能、躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康、健康变化维度评分均明显高于入院时（45．67&;#177;37．26，72．98&;#177;18．38，56．59&;#177;14．33，73．82&;#177;12．06，76．58&;#177;11．12，71．15&;#177;22．86，81．06&;#177;10．58，58．66&;#177;15．92；32．36&;#177;42．13，61．43&;#177;19．70，45．83&;#177;15．43，61．83&;#177;15．21，59．26&;#177;18．07，39.42&;#177;34．33，70．21&;#177;13．22，31．23&;#177;16．19，t=2．16～5．86，P〈0．05～0．01）。结论：①康复干预可改善冠心病患者生活质量。②36条简明健康状况调查表可较为有效评价冠心病患者生活质量。     

明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷与36条简明健康状况调查表对慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的评估作用

目的:对比观察36条简明健康状况调查表与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷在慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量评价中的作用。方法:①选择2001-08/2002-12在扬州市第一人民医院心血管内科的住院及部分长期门诊随诊的慢性心力衰竭患者128例。按纽约心脏病学会心功能分级:Ⅰ级15例,Ⅱ级41例,Ⅲ级49例,Ⅳ级23例。患者均知情同意。②入选患者均进行6min步行实验,体质量指数测定,采用HP5500型彩色多普勒超声诊断仪评价心脏结构及功能,包括左室射血分数、左室舒张末期直径;入选的门诊患者均为在1周之内于本院做过心脏彩色超声检查,并于就诊当时随即进行6min步行实验,体质量指数的测定。③评估患者生活质量,采用中文版本的36条简明健康状况调查表(包括11项共36个条目,分为8个维度,分别是生理功能、生理职能、身体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康。在所有条目中,除第一个条目(健康自我评价变化)外,均被用来计算得分。前4个维度被定义为生理健康内容,后4个维度被定义为心理健康内容。总分为145分,各维度的记分采用百分制,分值越高,代表生活质量越好)及明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷(总共21个条目,各条目的记分采用线形条目记分法进行,分值为0～5分,总分为105分,分值越高,代表患者生活质量越差)。所有出院患者均在入院后3d内进行评价,门诊患者于就诊当时进行评价。④生活质量评分之间的相关分析采用Pearson法。组间比较采用单因素方差分析。生活质量的影响因素分析采用线性逐步回归分析法。结果:慢性心力衰竭患者128例均进行问卷评估并进入最后的结果分析。①36条简明健康状况调查表总分、生理健康内容评分以及心理健康内容评分均与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷评分呈高度负相关(r=-0.588～-0.781,P<0.01)。②心力衰竭患者36条简明健康状况调查表总分及明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷总分均随心功能级别的增加而降低,36条简明健康状况调查表总分在心功能Ⅰ和Ⅱ级心力衰竭患者之间存在显著的差别(96.78±11.91,87.12±19.73,P<0.05)。③对心力衰竭患者生活质量的多因素逐步回归分析显示,心功能分级是影响36条简明健康状况调查表总分、生理健康内容评分、心理健康内容评分与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷的共同因素(t=-6.596～-10.235,P=0.000),而左室射血分数却对患者的生活质量并无影响。结论:①慢性心力衰竭患者明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷与36条简明健康状况调查表的得分具有良好的相关性。②对比明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷,36条简明健康状况调查表量表在区别轻度心力衰竭患者的生活质量方面具有重要的作用。③心功能分级可能是影响慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的重要因素,左室射血分数对患者的生活质量并无特别的影响。     

Investigating differential item functioning by chronic diseases in the SF-36 health survey: a latent trait analysis using MIMIC models

OBJECTIVES: Differential item functioning (DIF) is present when respondents of unique subgroups endorse certain items differently given the respondents have the same underlying ability. This study investigates the presence of DIF regarding chronic illnesses among items of the physical functioning (PF) and mental health (MH) domains of the SF-36 health survey. METHODS: Multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model was applied to data extracted from the Kaiser Permanente database for members who completed the SF-36 during 1994-1995 (N = 7538). DIF effects were evaluated for sociodemographic variables and for indicators of 5 chronic conditions: hypertension, rheumatic conditions, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and depression. An iterative strategy with backward selection was applied to build DIF models, which were estimated by weighted least squares. The Hochberg procedure was applied to P values for multiple tests. RESULTS: After controlling for the selected covariates and the latent ability, DIF was present in 3 items for hypertension, one for respiratory diseases, and one for diabetes. Adjusting for DIF did not modify the overall pattern of exogenous variables' effects on PF or MH, except Hispanic and other ethnicity on PF, education on MH became insignificant; and black ethnicity on PF, old ages and other ethnicity on MH became significant. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the number of items and disease subgroups compared, the presence of DIF was minimal among items of the PF and MH domains of the SF-36. DIF had little effect on comparisons of sociodemographic or disease groups.     

明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷与36条简明健康状况调查表对慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的评估作用

目的：对比观察36条简明健康状况调查表与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷在慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量评价中的作用。方法：①选择2001—08／2002-12在扬州市第一人民医院心血管内科的住院及部分长期门诊随诊的慢性心力衰竭患者128例。按纽约心脏病学会心功能分级：Ⅰ级15例，Ⅱ级41例，Ⅲ级49例，Ⅳ级23例。患者均知情同意。②入选患者均进行6min步行实验，体质量指数测定，采用HP5500型彩色多普勒超声诊断仪评价心脏结构及功能，包括左室射血分数、左室舒张末期直径；入选的门诊患者均为在1周之内于本院做过心脏彩色超声检查，并于就诊当时随即进行6min步行实验，体质量指数的测定。③评估患者生活质量，采用中文版本的36条简明健康状况调查表（包括11项共36个条目，分为8个维度，分别是生理功能、生理职能、身体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康。在所有条目中，除第一个条目（健康自我评价变化）外，均被用来计算得分。前4个维度被定义为生理健康内容，后4个维度被定义为心理健康内容。总分为145分，各维度的记分采用百分制，分值越高，代表生活质量越好）及明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷（总共21个条目，各条目的记分采用线形条目记分法进行，分值为0-5分，总分为105分，分值越高，代表患者生活质量越差）。所有出院患者均在入院后3d内进行评价，门诊患者于就诊当时进行评价。④生活质量评分之间的相关分析采用Pearson法。组间比较采用单因素方差分析。生活质量的影响因素分析采用线性逐步回归分析法。结果：慢性心力衰竭患者128例均进行问卷评估并进入最后的结果分析。①36条简明健康状况调查表总分、生理健康内容评分以及心理健康内容评分均与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷评分呈高度负相关（r=-0．588—0．781．P〈0．01）。②心力衰竭患者36条简明健康状况调查表总分及明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷总分均随心功能级别的增加而降低，36条简明健康状况调查表总分在心功能Ⅰ和Ⅱ级心力衰竭患者之间存在显著的差别（96．78&;#177;11．91，87．12&;#177;19．73，P〈0．05）。③对心力衰竭患者生活质量的多因素逐步回归分析显示，心功能分级是影响36条简明健康状况调查表总分、生理健康内容评分、心理健康内容评分与明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷的共同因素（t=-6．596～-10．235，P=0．000），而左室射血分数却对患者的生活质量并无影响。结论：①慢性心力衰竭患者明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷与36条简明健康状况调查表的得分具有良好的相关性。②对比明尼苏达州心力衰竭生活质量问卷，36条简明健康状况调查表量表在区别轻度心力衰竭患者的生活质量方面具有重要的作用。③心功能分级可能是影响慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的重要因素，左室射血分数对患者的生活质量并无特别的影响。     

Accounting for deaths in longitudinal studies using the SF-36: the performance of the Physical Component Scale of the Short Form 36-item health survey and the PCTD

BACKGROUND: Commonly used measures such as the Physical Component Scale of the Short Form 36-item health survey (PCS) are undefined at death, limiting longitudinal analyses to survivors, a healthier cohort that cannot be identified prospectively, and that might have had little change in health. One proposed approach is to transform the PCS into the Physical Component Transformed, with Deaths included (PCTD), which is the probability of being healthy 1 year later and for which deaths logically have a value of zero. Data missing for other reasons than death have not been considered. OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance of the PCTD, to determine the influence of including deaths, the additional effects of imputing missing values and adjusting for covariates, and the calibration of the PCTD in different populations. METHODS: We imputed missing values of the PCTD, calling the new variable the PCTDI. We compared the distributions of the PCS, PCTD, and PCTDI cross-sectionally and over time. In 3 different populations, we determined whether the PCTD accurately predicted the probability of being healthy 1 year later. RESULTS: The patients who died did not have extreme values on the PCTD. The experience of the cohort was best described by the PCTDI. The calibration of the PCTD was surprisingly good in all the populations examined. Results were similar for the physical function index. CONCLUSION: The PCTDI is an improvement over the PCS, in which patients who had died have no influence, and over the PCTD, where they might have too much influence. We recommend the PCTDI for longitudinal analyses of physical health when deaths occur, for primary or secondary analysis.     

SF-36在慢性软组织疼痛患者中的信度和效度初步评价

目的探讨中文版36条健康状况简明调查问卷（SF-36）在慢性软组织疼痛患者健康生存质量评价中的信度和效度。 方法采用中文版SF-36和医院结局疼痛用量表（MOSPM）,同时对210例慢性软组织疼痛患者进行问卷调查,以后者为效度标准,其中有57例（27.1%)患者进行了二次测评。收集资料输入SPSS软件包,采用Spearman相关分析,进行内部一致性、复测信度和效标效度的评价。 结果SF-36量表具有良好的内部一致性和重测信度,8个维度的Cronbachs α系数均&rt;0.7,重测信度的组内相关系数除SF为0.336（P<0.05）外,其他7个维度均在0.44~0.66之间（P<0.01）;在效度评价中,SF-36的8个维度与MOSPM的大部分条目及总分均显著相关,相关系数在－0.145~－0.630之间（P<0.05,P<0.01）。 结论SF-36在慢性软组织疼痛患者人群健康相关生存质量评价中应用,具有较好的信度和效度。     

The discriminative ability of the 12-item short form health survey (SF-12) in a sample of persons infected with HIV

BACKGROUND: Self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assesses constructs that transcend laboratory-based clinical parameters. Corroboration of the hypothesized relationships between the 2 types of health indicators (ie, clinical and HRQOL) could provide evidence of the validity of an HRQOL measurement tool. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of scores on the mental component summary (MCS-12) and physical component summary (PCS-12) of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to discriminate between HIV-infected persons in predefined disease-severity groups based on surrogate markers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved the collection of clinical data (ie, CD4 cell count, viral load [HIV-1 RNA copies/mL]) from patients' medical records and HRQOL data from the SF-12 at 2 HIV specialty clinics. The ability of SF-12 summary scores to discriminate between patients stratified by disease severity (ie, CD4 cell count <200 vs > or = 200/mm3; HIV-1 RNA >55,000 vs < or = 55,000 copies/mL) was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected from 478 patients. The scores from the PCS-12 were able to discriminate between groups of patients stratified by disease severity based on CD4 cell count (P < 0.001) and HIV-1 RNA copies/mL (P < 0.01). MCS-12 scores did not discriminate between disease-severity groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although the SF-12 is a brief generic measure of HRQOL, these findings provide further evidence of the validity of the SF-12 and suggest that it may be a practical way to monitor health status from the perspective of the HIV-infected patient.     

The stability of health status measurement (SF-36) in a working population

This study tests the stability of health status measurement (SF-36) in a working population. A total of 4,225 employees from two sectors (one state agency, one private company) enrolled in three health plans at Trigon BlueCross/BlueShield of Virginia. An eight-dimension short-form health survey (SF-36) was first tested on a cross-sectional basis for its validity. Then, a panel study was established to test for the stability of health status instrument over time. Structural equation modeling built on equality constraint conditions was the statistical technique for this study. Data were collected through two-wave mail surveys. Both comprehensive (original eight scales) and parsimonious (revised five scales) models of health status were found fit into the data quite well. Furthermore, the revised parsimonious model was shown highly stable over time. Within a working population aged 18 to 64, people are relatively healthy. Their perception of health issues is reflected mainly on "physical health status," as indicated by physical functionings or role limitations. The high stability of revised health status model warrants the possibility of using a more concise health status instrument for the majority of people in working force.     

Transforming self-rated health and the SF-36 scales to include death and improve interpretability.

BACKGROUND: Most measures of health-related quality of life are undefined for people who die. Longitudinal analyses are often limited to a healthier cohort (survivors) that cannot be identified prospectively, and that may have had little change in health. OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate methods to transform a single self-rated health item (excellent to poor; EVGGFP) and the physical component score of the SF-36 (PCS) to new variables that include a defensible value for death. METHODS: Using longitudinal data from two large studies of older adults, health variables were transformed to the probability of being healthy in the future, conditional on the current observed value; death then has the value of 0. For EVGGFP, the new transformations were compared with some that were published earlier, based on different data. For the PCS, how well three different transformations, based on different definitions of being healthy, discriminated among groups of patients, and detected change in time were assessed. RESULTS: The new transformation for EVGGFP was similar to that published previously. Coding the 5 categories as 95, 90, 80, 30, and 15, and coding dead as 0 is recommended. The three transformations of the PCS detected group differences and change at least as well as the standard PCS. CONCLUSION: These easily interpretable transformed variables permit keeping persons who die in the analyses. Using the transformed variables for longitudinal analyses of health when deaths occur, either for secondary or primary analysis, is recommended. This approach can be applied to other measures of health.     

Problems in using health survey questionnaires in older patients with physical disabilities. The reliability and validity of the SF-36 and the effect of cognitive impairment

Reliability and validity of the SF‐36 Health Survey Questionnaire was assessed in older rehabilitation patients, comparing cognitively impaired with cognitively normal subjects. The SF‐36 was administered by face‐to‐face interview to 314 patients (58–93 years) in the day hospital and rehabilitation wards of a department of medicine for the elderly. Reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha (for internal consistency) on the main sample and intraclass correlation coefficients on a test–retest sample; correlations with functional independence measure (FIM) were examined to assess validity. In 203 cognitively normal patients (Mini‐Mental State Examination ≥24), Cronbach’s alpha scores on the eight dimensions of the SF‐36 ranged from 0.545 (social function) to 0.933 (bodily pain). The range for the 111 cognitively impaired patients was 0.413–0.861. Cronbach’s alpha values were significantly higher (i.e. reliability was better) in the cognitively normal group for bodily pain (P = 0.003), mental health (P = 0.03) and role emotional (P = 0.04). In test–retest studies on a further 67 patients, an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.7 was attained for five out of eight dimensions in cognitively normal patients, and four out of eight dimensions in the cognitively impaired. Only the physical function dimension in the cognitively normal group attained the criterion level (r > 0.4) for construct validity when correlated with the FIM. In this group of older physically disabled patients, levels of reliability and validity previously reported for the SF‐36 in younger subjects were not attained, even on face‐to‐face testing. Patients with coexistent cognitive impairment performed worse than those who were cognitively normal.     

健康调查简表和脑卒中影响量表在脑卒中康复临床中应用情况的调查分析

摘要 目的：了解健康调查简表（SF-36）和脑卒中影响量表（SIS）在我国脑卒中康复临床的使用情况以及被认可程度。 方法：采用自行设计的网络问卷对国内三甲医院中从事脑卒中康复临床工作且具有一定资历的康复医师和康复治疗师进行调查。 结果：共回收有效问卷151份。SF-36和SIS在脑卒中康复中的临床使用率分别为31.13%和22.52%。同一量表在不同工作岗位的康复医师和（或）治疗师之间的使用率比较,差异无显著性意义（P>0.05）。临床对SIS的总体认可度高于SF-36（P<0.05）,主要表现在量表的测试结果对诊断疾病及制定临床方案和出院计划的帮助三个方面。 结论：SF-36和SIS在我国脑卒中康复临床的生存质量评定中尚未获得普及应用,需增强患者的全面康复意识,加强对康复医师及治疗师的规范化培训,适时对量表进行修订使其更适用于我国脑卒中患者的生存质量评定。