title: Normative Data for the Singapore English and Chinese SF-36 Version 2 Health Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to report normative data for the Short-Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) for assessing health-related quality of life, in the Singapore general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for English and Chinese-speaking participants of the Singapore Prospective Study Programme were analysed. The SF-36v2 scores were norm-based with the English-speaking Singapore general population as reference and reported by age (in decades), gender and ethnicity as well as for the 5 most prevalent chronic medical conditions. Scores were reported separately for the English and Chinese language versions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 6151 English-speaking (61.5% Chinese and 19.2% Malay) and 1194 Chinese-speaking participants provided complete data. Mean (SD) age of all participants was 49.6 (12.58) years with 52.4% being women. In both languages, women reported lower scores than men on all scales. Among the chronic medical conditions, stroke had the largest impact on all English SF-36v2 scales and on 3 Chinese SF-36v2 scales (role-physical, general health and social functioning).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have provided detailed normative data for the Singapore English and Chinese SF-36v2, which would be valuable in furthering HRQoL research in Singapore and possibly the region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wei Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Sow
authors.forename: Hwee Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: E-Shyong
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gandek
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Derrick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thumboo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012846:Singapore; D055815:Young Adult