title: Are generic and disease-specific health related quality of life correlated? The case of chronic lung disease due to sulfur mustard.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the two most commonly used generic and disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures in patients with chronic lung disease due to SM: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item (SF-36) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a secondary analysis of Iranian Chemical Warfare Victims Health Assessment Study (ICWVHAS) during October 2007 in Isfahan, Iran. In that survey, conducted in an outpatient setting, 292 patients with chronic lung disease due to SM were selected from all provinces in Iran. The total score and sub scores of correlations of SGRQ and SF-36 were assessed. Correlation of quality-of-life scores were evaluated using Pearson's coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Samples were 276 patients who were selected for our analysis. No significant correlation was found between the total score or sub scores of SF-36 and the total score or sub scores of SGRQ (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with chronic lung disease due to SM, the SF-36 and SGRQ assess different aspects of HRQoL. Therefore applying both of them together, at least in the research setting is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, Medicine and Health Promotion Institute, Tehran Iran.
authors.forename: Shervin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assari
authors.forename: Maryam Moghani
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lankarani
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montazeri
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Soroush
authors.forename: Batol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mousavi