Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The challenge of validating SF-12 for its use with community-dwelling elderly in Israel

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the psychometric properties and feasibility of using a Hebrew version of the SF-12 for community-dwelling elderly.

Methods

Four hundred and twenty-one people aged 70+ were interviewed in a longitudinal study, using the Barthel Index, GDS and SF-12.

Results

Score distribution was satisfactory, with minimal missing data and item-to-item correlations were satisfactory. There were no floor and ceiling effects. Factor analysis yields the two-dimensional factors of physical and mental health and a third factor of physical role. Reliability of domain and the complete scores using the internal consistency method point to good internal consistency. Regarding construct validity of the scale, the mental health domain scores had a significant, negative relation with scores on the GDS and the physical health domain scores had a significant, positive relation with scores on the ADL scale and a significant, negative relation with scores on the IADL scale.

Conclusions

The Hebrew version of the SF-12 appears to be a practical instrument for use among the elderly population and the resulting health domains correlate highly with other measures of functional, physical, and mental health used for the elderly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Patrick, D. L. (1997). Finding health-related quality of life outcomes sensitive to health care organization and delivery. Medical Care, 35(11 supp), NS49–NS57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Stadnyk, K., Calder, J., & Rockwook, K. (1998). Testing the measurement properties of the short form 36 health survey in a frail elderly population. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51, 827–835.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Martikainen, B., Stansfeld, S., Hemingway, H., & Marmot, M. (1999). Determinants of socioeconomic differences in change in physical and mental functioning. Social Science and Medicine, 49, 499–507.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Patrick, D. L., & Chiang, Y. P. (2000). Measurement of health outcomes in treatment effectiveness evaluations: Conceptual and methodological challenges. Medical Care, 38, II14–II25.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Walters, S. J., Munro, J. F., & Brazier, J. E. (2001). Using the SF-36 with older adults: A cross-sectional community-based survey. Age and Ageing, 30(4), 337–343.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pettit, T., Livingston, G., Manela, M., Kitchen, G., Katona, C., & Bowling, A. (2001). Validation and normative data of health status measures in older people: The Islington study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16, 1061–1070.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ware, J. E., Snow, K. K., Kosinski, M., & Gandek, B. (1993). SF-36 health survey manual and interpretation guide. Boston: The Health Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ware, J. E., Kosinski, M., & Keller, S. (1996). A 12-item short-form health survey – construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Medical Care, 34(3), 220–233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Burdine, J. N., Felix, R. J., Abel, L., Amy, W., Charles, J., & Musselman, Y. J. (2000). The SF-12 as a population health measure: An exploratory examination of potential for application. Health Services Research, 35(4), 885–904.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Apolone, G., & Mosconi, P. (1998). The Italian SF-36 health survey: Translation, validation and norming. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51(11), 1025–1036.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bjorner, J. B., Thunedborg, K., Kristensen, T. S., Modvig, J., & Bech, P. (1998). The Danish SF-36 health survey: Translation and preliminary validity studies. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51(11), 991–999.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fukuhara, S., Ware, J. E., Kosinski, M., Wada, S., & Gandek, B. (1998). Psychometric and clinical tests of validity of the Japanese SF-36 health survey. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51, 1045–1053.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gandek, B., Ware, J. E., & Aaronson, N. K. (1998). Cross-validation of item selection and scoring for the SF-12 health survey in nine countries: Results from the IQOLA project. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51(11), 1171–1178.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kodraliu, G., Mosconi, P., Groth, N., Carmosino, G., Perilli, A., Gianicolo, E. A., et al. (2001). Subjective health status assessment: Evaluation of the Italian version of the SF-12 health survey. Results from the MiOS project. Journal of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 6(3), 305–316.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lam, C. L., Tse, E. Y., & Gandek, B. (2005). Is the standard SF-12 health survey valid and equivalent for a Chinese population? Quality of Life Research, 14(2), 539–547.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Li, L., Wang, M., & Shen, Y. (2003). Chinese SF-36 health survey: Translation, cultural adaptation, validation and normalisation. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 57, 259–263.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Montazeri, A., Goshtasebi, A., Vahdaninia, M., & Gandek, B. (2005). The short form health survey (SF-36): Translation and validation study of the Iranian version. Quality of Life Research, 14, 875–882.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Sabbah, I., Drouby, N., Sabbaah, S., Retel-Rude, N., & Mercier, M. (2003). Quality of life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 1, 30–37. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Boston, N. K., & Boynton, P. M. (2001). An inner city GP unit versus conventional care for elderly patients: Prospective comparison of health functioning, use of services and patient satisfaction. Family Practice, 18(2), 141–148.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Dorr, D. A., Jones, S. S., Burns, L., & Donnelly, S. M. (2006). Use of health-related quality of life metrics to predict mortality and hospitalizations in community-dwelling seniors. Brief methodological reports. JAGS, 54(4), 667.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Fisher, K. J., & Li, F. (2004). A community-based walking trial to improve neighborhood quality of life in older adults: A multilevel analysis. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 28(3), 186–194.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gellis, Z., & Taguchi, A. (2004). Depression and health status among community-dwelling Japanese American elderly. Clinical Gerontologist, 27(3), 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ozcan, A., Donat, H., Geleck, N., Ozdirenc, M., & Karadibak, D. (2005). The relationship between risk factors for falling and the quality of life in older adults. BMC Public Health, 5, 1–6. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Peek, K. M., Ray, L., Patel, K., Stoebner-May, D., & Ottenbacher, K. J. (2004). Reliability and validity of the SF-36 among older Mexican Americans. The Gerontologist, 44(3), 418–425.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Resnick, B., & Nahm, E. S. (2001). Reliability and validity testing of the revised 12-item short-form health survey in older adults. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 9(2), 151–161.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Amir, M., Lewin-Epstein, N., Becker, G., & Buskila, D. (2002). Psychometric properties of the SF-12 (Hebrew version) in a primary care population in Israel. Medical Care, 40(10), 918–928.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Lewin-Epstein, N., Sagiv-Schifter, T., Shabtai, E., & Shmueli, A. (1998). Validation of the 36-Item SF health survey (Hebrew version) in the adult population in Israel. Medical Care, 36(9), 1361–1370.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Wade, D. T., & Collin, C. (1998). The Barthel ADL Index: A standard measure of physical disability? International Disability Studies, 10(2), 64–67.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lawton, M. P., & Brody, E. M. (1969). Assessment of older people: Self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. The Gerontologist, 9, 179–186.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Brink, T. L., Yesavage, J. A., & Lum, O. (1982). Screening tests for geriatric depression. Clinical Gerontologist, 1, 37–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Tseng, H. M., Lu Jui-Fen, R., & Gandek, B. (2003). Cultural issues in using the SF-36 health survey in Asia: Results from Taiwan. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 1, 72–78. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, POB 3886, 91037, Jerusalem, Israel

    Netta Bentur & Yaron King

Authors
  1. Netta Bentur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yaron King
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Netta Bentur.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bentur, N., King, Y. The challenge of validating SF-12 for its use with community-dwelling elderly in Israel. Qual Life Res 19, 91–95 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9562-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9562-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation