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Psychometric analysis of the Swedish translation of the WHO well-being index

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to validate the Swedish translation of the WHO (Ten) and WHO (Five) Well-Being Questionnaires among three samples of Swedes.

Methods

Baseline data collected in 2008 from the Health Assets Project are the data source consisting of three cohorts of Swedes aged 19–64 years: (1) a randomized general population cohort (n = 4,027); (2) employees sick-listed reported by the employer (n = 3,310); and (3) self-certified sick-listed individuals (n = 498). The psychometric properties of the scales are assessed using factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and examination of the relationship between scale scores and participants’ self-reported adverse health conditions.

Results

Factor analysis revealed a unidimensional factor structure for both scales, and Cronbach’s alphas are very good to excellent. The scales correlate in the expected direction with almost all of the adverse health conditions considered.

Conclusions

The Swedish translation of the WHO (Ten) and WHO (Five) Well-Being Questionnaires is psychometrically sound, but the first item of both scales has weaker psychometric qualities in comparison with other scale items.

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Abbreviations

SWB:

Subjective well-being

WHO:

World health organization

WHO-B:

WHO (Bradley) Well-Being Questionnaire

WHO-10:

WHO (Ten) Well-Being Questionnaire

WHO-5:

WHO (Five) Well-Being Questionnaire

HAP:

Health Assets Project

RP:

Cohort of a random sample of the general population

ER:

Cohort of sick-listed participants (>14 days) reported by the employer

SR:

Cohort of self-certified sick-listed participants

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit for Social Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden

    Jesper Löve, Lena Andersson & Gunnel Hensing

  2. Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA

    Crystal Dea Moore

Authors
  1. Jesper Löve
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  2. Lena Andersson
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  3. Crystal Dea Moore
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  4. Gunnel Hensing
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jesper Löve.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 5.

Table 5 The Swedish translation of the WHO-10 and WHO-5 Well-Being Scales
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Löve, J., Andersson, L., Moore, C.D. et al. Psychometric analysis of the Swedish translation of the WHO well-being index. Qual Life Res 23, 293–297 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0447-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0447-0

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