An empirical comparison of the WHOQOL-BREF and the SGRQ among patients with COPD.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the psychometric properties of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument and the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and to examine the association between pulmonary function and domains and items of these questionnaires in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
The WHOQOL-BREF and the SGRQ were administered to 211 patients. The reliability and validity of, and correlations among, the domain scores were examined. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify which items were independently associated with subjects' lung functions.


RESULTS
Both questionnaires showed good internal consistency (alpha > 0.8), except the SGRQ symptoms domain (alpha = 0.66), minimal ceiling and floor effects, and good item convergent and item discriminant validity. There were moderate correlations between physical domain of the WHOQOL-BREF and activity, impacts and total domains of the SGRQ, and between psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF and impacts and total domains of the SGRQ. Eighteen items were significantly associated with lung function, particularly those items relating to mobility/walking and activities of daily living (ADL).


CONCLUSIONS
Both the WHOQOL-BREF and the SGRQ showed comparable reliability and validity. Items related to mobility/walking and ADL may be useful in clinical screening for lung function impairment.
Liang
Wen-Miin
WM
Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Center, Institute of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chen
Jian-Jung
JJ
Chang
Chih-Hung
CH
Chen
Hung-Wei
HW
Chen
Shiah-Lian
SL
Hang
Liang-Wen
LW
Wang
Jung-Der
JD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D036262:Empirical Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan