Abstract
This was a large population-based study to develop and validate the Iranian version of the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) for use in health related quality of life assessment in Iran. A culturally comparable questionnaire was developed and pilot tested. Then, the Iranian version of the SF-36 was administered to a random sample of 4163 healthy individuals aged 15 years and over in Tehran. The mean age of the respondents was 35.1 (SD=16.0) years, 52% were female, mostly married (58%) and the mean years of their formal education was 10.0 (SD=4.5). Reliability was estimated using the internal consistency and validity was assessed using known groups comparison and convergent validity. In addition factor analysis was performed. The internal consistency (to test reliability) showed that all eight SF-36 scales met the minimum reliability standard, the Cronbach’s α coefficients ranging from 0.77 to 0.90 with the exception of the vitality scale (α=0.65). Known groups comparison showed that in all scales the SF-36 discriminated between men and women, and old and the young respondents as anticipated (all p values less than 0.05). Convergent validity (to test scaling assumptions) using each item correlation with its hypothesized scale showed satisfactory results (all correlation above 0.40 ranging from 0.58 to 0.95). Factor analysis identified two principal components that jointly accounted for 65.9% of the variance. In general, the Iranian version of the SF-36 performed well and the findings suggest that it is a reliable and valid measure of health related quality of life among the general population.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M Bullinger (1995) ArticleTitleGerman translation and psychometric testing of the SF-36 Health Survey: Preliminary results from the IQOLA Project. Soc Sci Med 41 1359–1366 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0277-9536(95)00115-N Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymC3s7otlU%3D Occurrence Handle8560303
D Razavi B Gandek (1998) ArticleTitleTesting Dutch and French translation of the SF-36 Health Survey among Belgian angina patients. J Clin Epidemiol 51 975–981
JB Bjorner K Thunedborg TS Kristensen J Modvig P Bech (1998) ArticleTitleThe Danish SF-36 Health Survey: Translation and preliminary validity studies. J Clin Epidemiol 51 991–999 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00091-2 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M%2Fjt1SjtQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9817117
A Leplege E Ecosse A Verdier TV Perneger (1998) ArticleTitleThe French SF-36 Health survey: Translation, cultural adaptation and preliminary psychometric evaluation. J Clin Epidemiol 51 1013–1023
NK Aaronson M Muller PDA Cohen et al. (1998) ArticleTitleTranslation, validation, and norming of the Dutch language version of the SF-36 Health Survey in community and chronic disease populations. J Clin Epidemiol 51 1055–1068
AK Wagner K Wyss B Gandek PM Kilima S Lorenz D Whiting (1999) ArticleTitleA Kiswahili version of the SF-36 Health Survey for use in Tanzania: Translation and test of scaling assumptions. Qual Life Res 8 101–110
C Taft J Karlsson M Sullivan (2004) ArticleTitlePerformance of the Swedish SF-36 version 2.0. Qual Life Res 13 251–256 Occurrence Handle10.1023/B:QURE.0000015290.76254.a5 Occurrence Handle15058805
S Fukuhara S Bito J Green A Hsiao K Kurokawa (1998) ArticleTitleTranslation, adaptation, and validation of the SF-36 Health Survey for use in Japan. J Clin Epidemiol 51 1037–1044 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00095-X Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M%2Fjt1Sisw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9817121
JL Fuh SJ Wang SR Lu et al. (2000) ArticleTitlePsychometric evaluation of a Chinese (Taiwanese) version of the SF-36 Health Survey amongst middle-aged women from a rural community. Qual Life Res 9 675–683
L Li HM Wang Y Shen (2003) ArticleTitleChinese SF-36 Health Survey: Translation, cultural adaptation, validation, and normalization. J Epidemiol Community Health 57 259–263
I Sabbah N Drouby S Sabbah N Retel-Rude M Mercier (2003) ArticleTitleQuality of life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1 30
H Tseng JR Lu B Gandek (2003) ArticleTitleCultural issues in using the SF-36 Health Survey in Asia: Results from Taiwan. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1 72
JE Ware CD Sherbourne (1992) ArticleTitleThe MOS 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care 30 473–483 Occurrence Handle1593914
M Bullinger J Alonso G Apolone et al. (1998) ArticleTitleTranslating health status questionnaires and evaluating their quality: The IQOLA Project approach. J Clin Epidemiol 51 913–923 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00082-1 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M%2FjtF2qug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9817108
JE Ware B Gandek (1998) ArticleTitleMethods for testing data quality, scaling assumptions and reliability: The IQOLA Project approach. J Cli Epidemiol 51 945–952
B Gandek JE Ware (1998) ArticleTitleMethods for validating and norming translations of health status questionnaires: The IQOLA Project approach. J Clin Epidemiol 51 953–959
JC Nunnally IR Bernstein (1994) Psychometric Theory EditionNumber3 McGraw-Hill New York
JE Ware RH Brook A Davies-Avery et al. (1980) Model of Health and Methodology. RAND Corporation Santa Monica, CA
AK Wanger B Gandek NK Aarenson et al. (1998) ArticleTitleCross-cultural comparison of the content of SF-36 translations across 10 countries: Results from the IQOLA Project. J Clin Epidemiol 51 925–932
JE Ware B Gandek (1998) ArticleTitleOverview of the SF-36 Health Survey and the International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) Project. J Clin Epidemiol 51 903–912 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00081-X Occurrence Handle9817107
WM Hopman T Towheed T Anastassiades et al. (2000) ArticleTitleCanadian normative data for the SF-36 health survey. CMAJ 163 265–271
CA McHorney JE Ware AE Raczek (1993) ArticleTitleThe MOS 36-item Short Form Health survey (SF-36): II. Psychometric and clinical tests of validity in measuring physical and mental health construct. Med Care 31 247–263 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC1MnisVI%3D Occurrence Handle8450681
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Montazeri, A., Goshtasebi, A., Vahdaninia, M. et al. The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36): Translation and validation study of the Iranian version. Qual Life Res 14, 875–882 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-004-1014-5
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-004-1014-5