Quality of life in asthma: internal consistency and validity
of the SF-36 Questionnaire
American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, 1994
The following abstract also considers:
Assessment of quality of life in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis
with the French version of the SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire (Journal
of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, August 1994).
The Studies and Their Purpose
-
A cross-sectional study in patients with moderate to
severe perennial allergic rhinitis compared with healthy subjects,
and a second study with asthma patients with variable severity
- both done to assess the reliability and validity of general
quality of life (QOL) scale and its use in determining QOL.
-
Both studies included the SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire
as the QOL measure. It is based on 36 items selected to represent
nine health concepts (physical, social, and role functioning;
mental health; health perceptions; energy/fatigue; pain; and
general health).
Summary of Results/Conclusions
-
Both studies indicate that QOL scores (SF-36 Health Status
Questionnaire) were valid and reliable as well as reproducible
and can be used to determine to what extent the diseases impair
physical, emotional, and social life.
-
The results showed significant and statistically relevant
social life and work function impairment in patients with both
asthma and perennial allergic rhinitis when compared with healthy
subjects. Note: Chronic rhinitis patients reported lower QOL
scores than asthmatics in some categories.
-
QOL was reduced with the severity of the disease or when
symptoms were not adequately controlled.
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