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Is the SF-36 health survey questionnaire suitable as a self-report measure of the health status of older adults with Parkinson's disease?

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Abstract

An amended version of the Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36), which has been suggested as being more suitable for self-completion in older adults, was evaluated among a group of elderly subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). In the subjects who were able to fully complete the modified SF-36 unaided, the severity of PD was broadly reflected by low reported levels of functioning and well-being with this measure. However, the modified questionnaire still did not overcome the problemof missing responses from elderly subjects. A total of 24% of respondents missed one or more of the 36 statements and 80% of missing responses were concentrated in the three statements which had been modified. The SF-36 in its original form would need to be combined with a disease-specific measure to adequately evaluate the health status of older adults with PD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glan Ciwyd District General Hospital, University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Rhyl, UK

    J. P. Hobson & R. J. Meara

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  1. J. P. Hobson
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  2. R. J. Meara
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Hobson, J.P., Meara, R.J. Is the SF-36 health survey questionnaire suitable as a self-report measure of the health status of older adults with Parkinson's disease?. Qual Life Res 6, 213–216 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026454503917

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