Supaporn Paneewat. Validity of the thai version of SF-36 for the evaluation of quality of life in heart failure patients compared with the New York heart association functional classification. Master's Degree(Epidemiology ). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2008.
Validity of the thai version of SF-36 for the evaluation of quality of life in heart failure patients compared with the New York heart association functional classification
Abstract:
This study aimed to determine the construct validity of the Thai version of the
SF-36 for the evaluation of the quality of life in heart failure patients. The construct
being tested in this study is that patients with higher functional status have a better
quality of life than their counterparts. One hundred ambulatory heart failure patients
(mean age 66 years, 58% female) were enrolled between August and October, 2007.
There were 25 patients in each of the 4 NYHA Functional classes (Fc). Each patient
was interviewed using the Thai version of the SF-36, and was evaluated for NYHA
Fc. The reliability of the SF-36 Thai version was determined using Cronbachs α and
intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Correlation between NYHA Fc and SF-36
scores in each domain was evaluated to establish the construct validity of the SF-36
Thai version.
The Cronbachs α for each domain of the SF-36 Thai version ranged from
0.67 to 0.94. The test-retest reliability (ICC) of each domain ranged between 0.35 and
0.76, with 2 domains (vitality and general health) having ICC less than 0.4. The mean
scores of 7 out of 8 domains of the SF-36 were different among patients in different
Fc. There were significant inverse correlations between NYHA Fc and SF-36 scores
in all domains except for the domain of role limitations due to emotional problems.
The results of this study confirms the construct being tested, thereby validating
the SF-36 Thai version. The questionnaire can be used as a measure of quality of life
in Thai heart failure patients.