title: [Application of SF-36 scale among patients with advanced-schistosomiasis in Jiangsu province].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the reliability and validity on SF-36 scale and the quality of life (QoL) among patients with advanced-schistosomiasis in Jiangsu province.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster sampling method was used to choose 586 advanced-schistosomiasis patients who were registered in Jiangsu province. Questionnaire including SF-36 module, was used for face to face interview on the patients. Statistical analyses were made to assess the results, including correlation analysis, reliability analysis, factor analysis, t-test and one-way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The split-half reliability coefficient was 0.92, P < 0.001 and the internal consistency reliability was 0.90, with the range of Cronbach' α coefficient on each dimension was from 0.69 to 0.98. Through principal component analysis, two factors were identified, with the accumulative contribution rate as 67.37%. SF-36 showed certain discriminant validity to distinguish groups in different economic levels. Compared with the domestic norm data, the scores of SF-36 on those patients were generally lows.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SF-36 had good reliability and good criterion validity, with a certain degree of discriminant validity, but with poor constructs validity. Level of QoL of patients with advanced schistosomiasis in Jiangsu was low because of being chronically ill, that called for more strategies to improve the QoL of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. youhua98@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Hai-yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Jin-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires