Construct validation of the Greek SF-36 Health Survey.
OBJECTIVE
To test the construct validity of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey, using structural equation modeling (SEM).


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data were collected from 1007 participants in a stratified sample of adult general population, interviewed face-to-face by trained interviewers.


RESULTS
SEM analyses supported the superiority of the eight first-order factor model of health. Higher-order analyses suggested that a model with three correlated second-order factors (physical health, general well-being, general mental health) and one third-order factor (health) provided a satisfactory fit to the data.


CONCLUSIONS
These results confirm the multidimensional structure of the SF-36 and underscore the feasibility of multinational comparisons of health status using this instrument. They also support the use of eight subscale scores in parallel with three second-order summary scores rather than one overall score.
Anagnostopoulos
Fotios
F
Psychology Department, Panteion University, 136 Syngrou Avenue, 176-71 Athens, Greece. fganagn@hol.gr
Niakas
Dimitris
D
Pappa
Evelina
E
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires