Short form 36 (SF 36) health survey questionnaire: Normative data for adults of working age

Abstract

Objectives - To gain population norms for the short form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF 36) in a large community sample and to explore the questionnaire's internal consistency and validity. Design - Postal survey by using a booklet containing the SF 36 and several other items concerned with lifestyles and illness. Setting - The sample was drawn from computerised registers of the family health services authorities for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire. Sample - 13042 randomly selected subjects aged 18-64 years. Main outcome measures - Scores for the eight health dimensions of the SF 36. Results - The survey achieved a response rate of 72% (n=9332). Internal consistency of the different dimensions of the questionnaire was high. Normative data broken down by age, sex, and social class were consistent with those from previous studies. Conclusions - The SF 36 is a potentially valuable tool in medical research. The normative data provided here may further facilitate its validation and use.