[Feasibility of using short form 36 in Chinese population].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the feasibility of using the SF-36 in Chinese population.


METHODS
We tested the reliability and validity of the SF-36 in 1603 rural residents, 646 urban residents, 70 high school girls, 122 patients with osteoporosis, and 150 stroke patients.


RESULTS
The reliability and validity of the SF-36 in general were acceptable, however, the reliability and validity varied among different domains and in different populations. The reliability and validity of the domains "limitations in physical activities", "limitations in usual role activities because of physical health problems", "bodily pain", and "general health perception" were better than those of the domains "vitality", "limitations in social activities", "limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems", and "mental health".


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that we can use the SF-36 in Chinese population, but we have to pay attentions to the variance of the reliability and validity in different populations, especially for the interpretation of the results of the domains related to mental and social functions.
Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, WCUMS, Chengdu 610041, China.
C
C
Liu
N
N
Li
X
X
Ren
J
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Li
J
J
Zhang
D
D
Sun
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002681:China; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards