Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures: literature review and proposed guidelines.

The widespread use of standardized health surveys is predicated on the largely untested assumption that scales constructed from those surveys will satisfy minimum psychometric requirements across diverse population groups. Data from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) were used to evaluate data completeness and quality, test scaling assumptions, and estimate internal-consistency reliability for the eight scales constructed from the MOS SF-36 Health Survey. Analyses were conducted among 3,445 patients and were replicated across 24 subgroups differing in sociodemographic characteristics, diagnosis, and disease severity. For each scale, item-completion rates were high across all groups (88% to 95%), but tended to be somewhat lower among the elderly, those with less than a high school education, and those in poverty. On average, surveys were complete enough to compute scales scores for more than 96% of the sample. Across patient groups, all scales passed tests for item-internal consistency (97% passed) and item-discriminant validity (92% passed). Reliability coefficients ranged from a low of 0.65 to a high of 0.94 across scales (median = 0.85) and varied somewhat across patient subgroups. Floor effects were negligible except for the two role disability scales. Noteworthy ceiling effects were observed for both role disability scales and the social functioning scale. These findings support the use of the SF-36 survey across the diverse populations studied and identify population groups in which use of standardized health status measures may or may not be problematic.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3766189.pdf

The MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36): III. Tests of data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability across diverse patient groups.

OBJECTIVES--To test the acceptability, validity, and reliability of the short form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and to compare it with the Nottingham health profile. DESIGN--Postal survey using a questionnaire booklet together with a letter from the general practitioner. Non-respondents received two reminders at two week intervals. The SF-36 questionnaire was retested on a subsample of respondents two weeks after the first mailing. SETTING--Two general practices in Sheffield. PATIENTS--1980 patients aged 16-74 years randomly selected from the two practice lists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Scores for each health dimension on the SF-36 questionnaire and the Nottingham health profile. Response to questions on recent use of health services and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS--The response rate for the SF-36 questionnaire was high (83%) and the rate of completion for each dimension was over 95%. Considerable evidence was found for the reliability of the SF-36 (Cronbach9s alpha greater than 0.85, reliability coefficient greater than 0.75 for all dimensions except social functioning) and for construct validity in terms of distinguishing between groups with expected health differences. The SF-36 was able to detect low levels of ill health in patients who had scored 0 (good health) on the Nottingham health profile. CONCLUSIONS--The SF-36 is a promising new instrument for measuring health perception in a general population. It is easy to use, acceptable to patients, and fulfils stringent criteria of reliability and validity. Its use in other contexts and with different disease groups requires further research.

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/305/6846/160.full.pdf

Validating the SF-36 health survey questionnaire: new outcome measure for primary care.

The detection of psychiatric illness by questionnaire

Qualitative research methods have a long history in the social sciences and deserve to be an essential component in health and health services research. Qualitative and quantitative approaches to research tend to be portrayed as antithetical; the aim of this series of papers is to show the value of a range of qualitative techniques and how they can complement quantitative research.

Medical advances, increasing specialisation, rising patient expectations, and the sheer size and diversity of health service provision mean that today's health professionals work in an increasingly complex arena. The wide range of research questions generated by this complexity has encouraged the search for new ways of conducting research. The rapid expansion of research on and about health and health services, and the relatively recent demarcation of a distinct field of “health services research” depend heavily on doctors and other health professionals being investigators, participants, and peer reviewers. Yet some of the most important questions in health services concern the organisation and culture of those who provide health care, such as why the findings of randomised controlled trials are often difficult to apply in day to day clinical practice. The social science methods appropriate to studying such phenomena are very different from the methods familiar to many health professionals.

Although the more qualitative approaches found in certain of the social sciences may seem alien alongside the experimental, quantitative methods used in clinical and biomedical research, they should be an essential component of health services research--not just because they enable us to access areas not amenable to quantitative research, such as lay and professional health beliefs, but also because qualitative description is a prerequisite of good quantitative research, particularly in areas that have received little previous investigation. A good example of this is the study of the social consequences of the …

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Reaching the parts other methods cannot reach: an introduction to qualitative methods in health and health services research.

OBJECTIVE--To examine the relation between damp and mould growth and symptomatic ill health. DESIGN--Cross-sectional study of random sample of households containing children; separate and independent assessments of housing conditions (by surveyor) and health (structured interview by trained researcher). SETTING--Subjects' homes (in selected areas of public housing in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London). SUBJECTS--Adult respondents (94% women) and 1169 children living in 597 households. END POINTS--Specific health symptoms and general evaluation of health among respondents and children over two weeks before interview; and score on general health questionnaire (only respondents). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--Damp was found in 184 (30.8%) dwellings and actual mould growth in 274 (45.9%). Adult respondents living in damp and mouldy dwellings were likely to report more symptoms overall, including nausea and vomiting, blocked nose, breathlessness, backache, fainting, and bad nerves, than respondents in dry dwellings. Children living in damp and mouldy dwellings had a greater prevalence of respiratory symptoms (wheeze, sore throat, runny nose) and headaches and fever compared with those living in dry dwellings. The mean number of symptoms was higher in damp and mouldy houses and positively associated with increasing severity of dampness and mould (dose response relation). All these differences persisted after controlling for possible confounding factors such as household income, cigarette smoking, unemployment, and overcrowding. Other possible sources of bias that might invalidate the assumption of a causal link between housing conditions and ill health--namely, investigator bias, respondent bias, and selection bias--were also considered and ruled out. CONCLUSION--Damp and mouldy living conditions have an adverse effect on symptomatic health, particularly among children.

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/298/6689/1673.full.pdf

Damp housing, mould growth, and symptomatic health state.

Over the past few years, expressions of disquiet about the term ‘Quality of Life’ and the way in which it is applied and measured in clinical settings and in Health Economics have slowly increased. Some of this criticism has arisen from the poor quality of both research and application, some from misleading claims about outcomes and some from the lack of conceptual clarity. Anecdotally, many clinicians comment on the frustration and confusion they feel when asked to deal with the administration of questionnaires which appear to have little or no rationale for being termed measures of ‘quality of life’ and the content of which differs one from the other, implying distinct divisions in definition. Indeed, clinicians are often asked to tolerate situations in relation to questionnaires which they would reject out of hand if they involved clinical measures. It is the first tenet of any scientific enterprise, where measurement is to be attempted, that the object of measurement be precisely and meaningfully defined and the measuring instrument be appropriate and valid for the task. Moreover, where decisions may be made on the basis of the results of the application of the measure it is essential that consensus exists in the scientific and clinical community in order that all concerned know exactly what is being evaluated and that priorities in medical care are set on a standard basis. In relation to quality of life there is little agreement about the meaning of the term itself, there are rival factions each tendentiously urging the adoption of a different approach and a plethora of measures purporting to address ‘quality of life. As a consequence there must be grave doubts about the wisdom of using ‘quality of life’ as an outcome which could influence the lives of patients. The scientific status of quality of life research

The problem of quality of life.

The study aimed to describe self-assessed disability, using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), in patients with arthrosis of the hip joint, to test the reliability of the Swedish version of the NHP, and to compare disability perceived by the patient with the Charnley/d'Aubignet score. The NHP was administered twice to 73 patients, waiting for total hip replacement. Pain, energy, sleep, and mobility were severely affected. The correlations between subjective and objective scores were, apart from pain, moderate. The two test administrations correlated highly. In conclusion, the NHP is a reliable instrument, which may provide valuable supplementary information in the assessment of disability.

Self-assessed disability in patients with arthrosis of the hip joint. Reliability of the Swedish version of the Nottingham Health Profile.

Lack of empirical evidence that living in damp houses has detrimental effects on health may partly be due to inadequate research. A preliminary study was therefore carried out of a random sample of council owned residences in a deprived area of Edinburgh, a respondent from consenting households being interviewed to obtain a profile of the physical and mental health of all adults and children. In addition, information was gathered about other factors that might be important, particularly smoking and selective bias in the allocation of tenants to houses. Independent measures of dampness were made by environmental health officers. No conclusive effects of damp on the health of adults were identified. Nevertheless, children living in damp houses, especially where fungal mould was present, had higher rates of respiratory symptoms, which were unrelated to smoking in the household, and higher rates of symptoms of infection and stress. Housing should remain an important public health issue, and the effects of damp warrant further investigation.

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/294/6580/1125.full.pdf

Sonja M. Hunt

Papers

Damp housing, mould growth, and symptomatic health state.

The problem of quality of life.

Self-assessed disability in patients with arthrosis of the hip joint. Reliability of the Swedish version of the Nottingham Health Profile.

Housing conditions and ill health.

Cross-cultural variation in the weighting of health statements: A comparison of English and Swedish valuations