title: Measuring health-related quality of life in Singapore: normal values for the English and Chinese SF-36 Health Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine norms for assessing Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in Singapore using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean SF-36 scores were calculated for 24 population subgroups (categorised by age, gender, ethnicity and questionnaire language) and for subjects with self-reported co-morbid conditions using data from a community-based survey in Singapore.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The English and Chinese SF-36 was completed by 4122 and 1381 subjects, respectively, 58% (n = 3188) of whom had self-reported co-morbid conditions. SF-36 scores varied in subgroups differing in age, gender and ethnicity. In general, subjects with self-reported co-morbid conditions had lower SF-36 scores than those without these conditions, the magnitude of which exceeded 20 points in several instances. A method for calculation of SF-36 scores adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity and questionnaire language is described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present norms for English and Chinese SF-36 versions in Singapore and describe potential uses for these data in assessing HRQOL in Singapore.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Tan Tock Seng Hospital. mdctj@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thumboo
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Machin
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Boey
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Thio
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014175:Translating