title: Validation of the Mongolian version of the SF-36v2 questionnaire for health status assessment of Mongolian adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is one of the world's worst air-polluted cities, but effects of this air pollution on the population health status have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, we developed a Mongolian version of the SF-36v2 questionnaire to investigate the health status of Mongolian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health checkups were conducted in Ulaanbaatar and the health status was measured using a Mongolian translated version of the SF-36v2 questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the Mongolian SF-36v2 questionnaire, and the relationship between health status and respiratory condition were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor analysis of the Mongolian SF-36v2 questionnaire showed that the "Role-physical" and "Role-emotional" were classified into a single subscale. The "Mental health" and "Vitality" were each divided into two subscales. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for reproducibility were >0.7, except for "General health perceptions" (Cronbach's alpha and ICC < 0.7), "Social functioning" (Cronbach's alpha < 0.7), and "Vitality" (ICC < 0.7). The SF-36v2 subscales and the corresponding items of the COOP/WONCA charts were correlated, and subjects with respiratory symptoms showed lower SF-36v2 scores compared to normal subjects, suggesting external validity. Subjects with respiratory symptoms showed significantly lower scores for the majority of the SF-36v2 subscales than those with normal lung function. In subjects with combined ventilatory impairment, "Physical functioning", "Role-physical", "Bodily pain", and "Vitality" scores were significantly lower than those with normal lung function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Mongolian version of the SF-36v2 questionnaire provides substantial reliability and validity, and is useful for evaluating the health status of Mongolian adults with ventilatory impairment. Health status measured by SF-36v2 was significantly aggravated by combined ventilatory impairment when compared with normal lung function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011 Japan.
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011 Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011 Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
authors.forename: Bandi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Solongo
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
authors.forename: Dashtseren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ichinnorov
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, 160-8402 Japan.
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Breugelmans
keywords: Air pollution; COOP/WONCA charts; Japan; Mongolia; Pulmonary function; Reliability; Respiratory symptom; SF-36; Validity