Psychometric properties of the SF-12 (Hebrew version) in a primary care population in Israel.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the psychometric properties of the 12-item Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Short-Form Health Status Survey (SF-12) (Hebrew version) in a large primary care patient sample in Israel.


METHODS
The sample comprised 3631 adult primary care patients who were screened for depression in a longitudinal design.


METHODS
SF-12 yielding two scores: the Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summary (MCS-12). For comparison, the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression scale (CES-D), two subscales from the 90-item Hopkins Symptom Scale (SCL-90), Quality of Life Depression Scale (QLDS), World Health Organization Quality of Life Measure - Bref (WHOQoL-Bref), and interviewer-administered Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were also administered.


RESULTS
Score distribution was satisfactory, the amount of missing data was minimal and item-to-item correlations were satisfactory. Floor and ceiling effects were minimal in items with more than three response options. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-dimensional model of health. Test-retest reliability was good for both summary scales in a nondepressed population and for PCS-12 in the depressed population, but only moderate for MCS-12 in the depressed population. In regard to convergent validity, MCS-12 correlated negatively and significantly with the CES-D, QLDS, and two SCL-90 anxiety subscales, and positively and significantly with four WHOQoL-Bref domains. PCS-12 correlated positively and significantly with the WHOQoL-Bref physical domain. Discriminative validity was established in that both PCS-12 and MCS-12 showed meaningful effect sizes between groups with various degrees of physical and mental health problems. Sensitivity to change was established in that both PCS-12 and MCS-12 change scores were significantly different in subjects who had been depressed but were no longer so, as compared with those who were still depressed at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The SF-12 (Hebrew version) is a reliable and valid measure, particularly in a nondepressed population.
Amir
Marianne
M
Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. mamir@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Lewin-Epstein
Noah
N
Becker
Gideon
G
Buskila
Dan
D
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014177:Translations