title: US general population norms for telephone administration of the SF-36v2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  US general population norms for mail administration of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Version 2 (SF-36v2) were established in 1998. This article reports SF-36v2 telephone-administered norms collected in 2005-2006 for adults aged 35-89 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SF-36v2 was administered to 3,844 adults in the National Health Measurement Study (NHMS), a random-digit dial telephone survey. Scale scores and physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS) scores were computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with 1998 norms (mean=50.00, standard deviation [SD]=10.00), SF-36v2 scores for the 2005-2006 general population tended to be higher: physical functioning (mean=50.68, SD=14.48); role limitations due to physical health problems (mean=49.47, SD=14.71); bodily pain (mean=50.66, SD=16.28); general health perceptions (mean=50.10, SD=16.87); vitality (mean=53.71, SD=15.35); social functioning (mean=51.37, SD=13.93); role limitations due to emotional problems (mean=51.44, SD=13.93); mental health (mean=54.27, SD=13.28); PCS (mean=49.22, SD=15.13); MCS (mean=53.78, SD=13.14). PCS and MCS factor scoring coefficients were similar to those previously reported for the 1998 norms. SF-36v2 norms for telephone administration were created.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher scores for NHMS data are likely due to the effect of telephone administration. The 2005-2006 norms can be used as a reference to interpret scale and component summary scores for telephone-administered surveys with the SF-36v2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. greg.maglinte@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Maglinte
authors.forename: Ron D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011177:Postal Service; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology