[Psychometric properties and reliability of the general health questionnaire(GHQ-12) for adult patients in primary care centers in Cordoba, Argentina].
BACKGROUND
The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a commonly used instrument to screen for psychiatric distress. However, the psychometric properties and reliability of the GHQ-12 in Argentina and, more specifically, in the city of Cordoba, have not previously been studied.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the psychometric properties and reliability of GHQ-12 in adult consultants of primary care in Cordoba, Argentina.


METHODS
Using probabilistic sampling in primary care centers in the city of Cordoba, a cross-sectional study was conducted. The Spanish version of the GHQ-12 was administered. The psychometric properties, including internal consistency and factor structure, for the Spanish version of the GHQ-12 were measured.


RESULTS
854 primary care consultants were included in the study. The questionnaire had high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. An exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor model, similar to what has been reported for the original questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
The GHQ-12 showed good psychometric properties and reliability in the studied population.
Escuela de Salud Pública de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
María Soledad
MS
Burrone
Escuela de Salud Pública de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
Ariel
A
Abeldaño
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
Marcela
M
Lucchese
New York Presbyterian Hospital. Weill Cornell Medicine.
Leah
L
Susser
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
Julio E
JE
Enders
Instituto de Salud Poblacional "Escuela de Salud Pública Dr. Salvador Allende", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile. Santiago, Chile.
Ruben
R
Alvarado
School of Public Health; Columbia University. New York, United States of America.
Eliecer
E
Valencia
Escuela de Salud Pública de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
A Ruth
AR
Fernández
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult