Short form 36 (SF36) health survey questionnaire: normative data for adults of working age

Abstract

Objectives: To gain population norms for the short form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF36) in a large community sample and to explore the questionnaire's internal consistency and validity.

Design: Postal survey by using a booklet containing the SF36 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: 13,042 randomly selected subjects aged 18-64 years.

Main outcome measures: Scores for the eight health dimensions of the SF36.

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 SF36 is a potentially valuable tool in medical research. The normative data provided here may further facilitate its validation and use.