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An assessment of factorial structure and health-related quality of life in problem drug users using the Short Form 36 Health Survey

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Abstract

Aims

To confirm the factorial structure of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) in problem drug users and to compare their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with general Dutch population norms.

Method

Data of 394 participants from the Amsterdam Cohort Study among drug users, who had completed once the SF-36 standard form (4 weeks recall) between February and August 2005, were analyzed. The factorial structure of the SF-36 was investigated by confirmatory factor analysis. Subsequently, sum scores of the eight SF-36 health dimensions were converted into z-scores by standardizing them with the mean and standard deviation of the corresponding general Dutch population age and gender group.

Results

The factor structure was acceptable and also comparable with previous findings. Compared with the general population, participants had significantly lower z-scores on all of the eight SF-36 dimensions, with largest deviations in social functioning (M = −1.13) and mental health (M = −1.01), and smallest deviations in bodily pain (M = −0.32).

Conclusion

The results corroborate the factorial structure and reliability of the answers of problem drug users to the SF−36. Their HRQOL was low, even though it was assessed irrespective of substance abuse treatment settings.

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Abbreviations

ACS:

Amsterdam Cohort Studies among drug users

AIDS:

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

BP:

Bodily pain

CFA:

Confirmatory factor analysis

CFI:

Comparative fit index

GH:

General health

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

HRQOL:

Health-related quality of life

IQR:

Interquartile range

M:

Mean

MH:

Mental health

PDU:

Problem drug users

PF:

Physical functioning

QOL:

Quality of life

RE:

Role limits emotional

RMSEA:

Root-mean-square error of approximation

RP:

Role limits physical

SD:

Standard deviation

SF:

Social functioning

SF-36:

Short Form 36 Health Survey

STD:

Sexually transmitted diseases

TLI:

Tucker Lewis index

VT:

Vitality

WLSMV:

Weighted least-square mean and variance adjusted

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Acknowledgements

The Amsterdam Cohort Studies on HIV infection and AIDS, a collaboration between the Amsterdam Health Service, the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, and the University Medical Center Utrecht, are part of the Netherlands HIV Monitoring Foundation and financially supported by the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. The authors wish to thank Joke Bax, Ans Snuverink, and Hella Brandt for their help with the collection and entry of the data. We also thank Maria Prins and Angelika Glöckner-Rist for helpful comments on previous drafts of the manuscript and Lucy Phillips for editorial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Muenster, Fliednerstrasse 21, 48149, Muenster, Germany

    Angela Buchholz & Fred Rist

  2. Department of Research, Cluster, Infectious Diseases, Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Anneke Krol

  3. Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pythia T. Nieuwkerk

  4. The Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gerard M. Schippers

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  1. Angela Buchholz
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Correspondence to Angela Buchholz.

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Buchholz, A., Krol, A., Rist, F. et al. An assessment of factorial structure and health-related quality of life in problem drug users using the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Qual Life Res 17, 1021–1029 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9371-0

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