title: Measuring health-related quality of life for persons with mobility impairments: an enabled version of the short-form 36 (SF-36E).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine psychometric properties of the SF-36 and SF-36E for mobility-impaired individuals and assess whether the SF-36E yields higher health-related quality-of-life scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  We altered the SF-36 Physical Function scale by substituting the word "go" for "walk" and "climb" and changed the stem to reflect function using assistive devices. We compared responses between versions for 201 individuals with disabilities (n = 95 wheelchair users, n = 48 other device users, 58 = no device users).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both surveys yielded reliable scores, but floor and ceiling effects occurred with both versions. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrate good fit for the SF-36 and SF36E, but were compromised by low sample size. Respondents demonstrated significantly better Role Physical, Bodily Pain, and Vitality on the SF-36E, but worse General Health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The World Health Organization framework, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) suggests that it is important to know both what one can do without assistance (capacity) and what one can do with assistance (performance). Results suggest that the SF-36E successfully measures performance among mobility-impaired individuals, including wheelchair users. However, further validation studies of the SF-36 and SF-36E are warranted with samples of individuals with disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Center, The University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside, Dole 3090, Lawrence, KS 66045-7555, USA. kgrobe@ku.edu
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Froehlich-Grobe
authors.forename: Elena M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caburnay
authors.forename: Glen W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires