[Reference values of the Spanish version of the SF-12v2 for the diabetic population].
OBJECTIVE
Perceived health status questionnaires provide important information for health outcomes research. Reference measures are required to interpret the health-related quality of life questionnaires belonging to the short form (SF) health survey family. Previous studies have provided these reference measures for the Spanish general population, but not for specific disease conditions. The aim of the present study was to obtain diabetic population-based norms for the Spanish version of the 12-item short form health survey version II (SF-12v2) in the region of Murcia (Spain).


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional telephone survey in 1,500 non-institutionalized patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes, aged 18 years or older and representative of the region of Murcia. The central position, dispersion statistics and percentiles were calculated for each of the eight SF-12v2 scales and summary components (physical and mental).


RESULTS
The mental component summary (MCS) (mean: 50.5+/-12.8) was higher than the physical component summary (PCS) (42.5+/-11.8). By sex, men had more favorable MCS (53.6+/-11.6) and PCS (44.9+/-11.2) scores than women (MCS: 47.7+/-13.2; PCS: 40.3+/-11.9). The dimension with the highest score was vitality (men: 57.2+/-11.1; women: 51.9+/-12.1), while that with the lowest score was general health (men: 39.0+/-9.7; women: 35.8+/-10.0). When the groups were stratified by age, scores continued to be higher in men than in women.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study should be taken as the diabetic population-based norms for the Spanish version of the SF-12v2 in the region of Murcia. These results may be useful to establish therapeutics targets, as well as for comparisons with the general, healthy and ill populations.
Monteagudo Piqueras
Olga
O
Servicio de Planificación y Financiación Sanitaria, Consejería de Sanidad y Consumo, Región de Murcia, España. olga.monteagudo@carm.es
Hernando Arizaleta
Lauro
L
Palomar Rodríguez
Joaquín A
JA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult