Reliability and validity of the SF-36 in HIV-infected homeless and marginally housed individuals.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the reliability and validity of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey as a health status indicator among HIV-infected homeless and marginally housed (HMH) individuals.


METHODS
Between July 1996 and May 2000, a sample of HMH individuals completed interviews that included the SF-36. Responses to the SF-36 were analyzed for missing data, range, internal consistency, and construct validity.


RESULTS
Among 330 individuals interviewed, 83% were male, 43% were African-American, and the median age was 39 years. All internal consistency reliability coefficients exceeded 0.70, all item-scale correlations exceeded 0.40, all items were more strongly correlated with their hypothesized scale than any other scale, and all reliability coefficients exceeded inter-scale correlations for the same scale. Three of four physical health scales were significantly associated with CD4 cell count and HIV viral load. All scales were significantly associated with depression.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that scales were internally consistent, items correlated to an acceptable degree with their hypothesized scales, items were distinct from other scales, physical scales were associated with CD4 cell count and viral load, and all scales were associated with depression. These analyses provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the SF-36 as a measure of health status in HIV-positive HMH individuals.
Riley
E D
ED
Epidemiology and Prevention Interventions Center, University of California, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. eriley@epi-center.ucsf.edu
Bangsberg
D R
DR
Perry
S
S
Clark
R A
RA
Moss
A R
AR
Wu
A W
AW
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States