Centre for Policy on Ageing



Is the SF-36 suitable for assessing health status of older stroke patients?
Author(s)	Paul G O'Mahony, Helen Rodgers, Richard G Thomson
Journal title	Age and Ageing, vol 27, no 1, January 1998
Pages	pp 19-22
Keywords	Stroke ; Life satisfaction ; Health [elderly] ; Evaluation.
Annotation	The Medical Outcomes Study short form 36-item health survey (SF-36) is being increasingly used and recommended as a suitable measure for subjective health status. However, it is unlikely that any measure will be appropriate for all groups. This study considers the suitability of the SF-36 for assessing quality of life in older stroke patients. 104 stroke patients were identified, and 83% responded to a postal questionnaire incorporating SF-36. Completion rates for individual items ranged from 66% to 96%. The percentage of subjects for whom an individual score could be computed ranged from 67% to 96%. All items in the role physical (10 items) and the role emotional (3 items) scales had completion rates of less than 75%. Poor completion rates and results for response effects suggest that such a postal survey using the SF-36 is not suitable for assessing outcome or quality of life of older stroke patients. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-981208211 A
Classmark	CQA: F:5HH: CC: 4C
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.