Convergent validity between SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF in older adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo compare the reliability and convergent validity of instruments assessing quality of life in Brazilian older adults.METHODSCross-sectional study of 278 literate, community-dwelling older adults attending a municipal university for the elderly in Sao Carlos, SP, Southeastern Brazil between 2006 and 2008. The Brazilian versions of the SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF instruments to assess quality of life were compared. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to estimate reliability and Pearson’s correlation for comparison between the two scales.RESULTSMost of participants were women (87.8%) with a mean age of 63.83±7.22 years. Both scales showed an acceptable internal consistency – WHOQOL-BREF Cronbach’s alpha was 0.832 and SF-36 was 0.868. There was a weak (r ≤ 0.6) correlation between the related fields in the two questionnaires.CONCLUSIONSThe SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF are reliable instruments for clinical and research uses in Brazilian older women. To select one, researchers should consider which aspects of quality of life they aim to capture because of weak convergent validity signs. This study’s results indicate that WHOQOL-BREF may be more relevant to evaluate changes in the quality of life of older women because it prioritizes responses to the aging process and avoids focusing on impairment.

Fatores que influenciam na qualidade de vida dos agentes comunitários de saúde

“…(5) We used the SF-36 as it is a widely used instrument in international literature and whose validation and cultural adaptation has been con-ducted in Brazil in different areas of health. This instrument has a final score of zero to 100, obtained by calculating the Raw Scale, where zero corresponds to the worst General Health perception and 100 is the best health perception, that is, the lower the score, the greater the impairment of quality life of the assessed individual.…”

“…The answers were arranged in Likert scale format, in which, the only option should be marked. (5,6) For qualification of fieldworkers, a 30-hour training on the use of the instrument was conducted. Therefore, data collection occurred in December 2014 in the Basic Health Units of the city.…”

Qualidade de vida e características associadas: aplicação do WHOQOL-BREF no contexto da Atenção Primária à Saúde

“…QOL can be defined as "individual perception of one's own stance in the context of the culture and value system in which one lives and in relation to one's goals, expectations, standards and concerns", involving physical, psychological, independence level, social relationships, environment and spiritual pattern domains 2 . Characteristics such as functional capacity, pain, general health, vitality, social and emotional aspects and mental health can be evaluated by instruments that measure QOL 3,4 . The most used instruments are generic, that is, they evaluate several aspects of the impact resulting from a health condition, such as functional capacity, pain and general health.…”

Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life Scale utility in community home care

“…International research into the influence of disease and disability on life quality as well as economic analyses of care approaches has produced a substantial body of knowledge from various perspectives (Bulamu, Kaambwa, & Ratcliffe, ; Buttke et al, ; Castro, Driusso, & Oishi, ; Lucas‐Carrasco, ). It is generally accepted that a person's ability to access home care should also be assessed.…”

“…Outlook on life is important therefore, if a person's views of life quality are assumed by others to be linked to their functional abilities, it might accidentally trivialize the person's expectations of life and undermine their self‐determination and resilience. Castro et al () reported that while changes in health due to aging can affect QoL, it is how the older person responds to the aging process, rather than their impairment, that is crucial when assessing QoL. Individually perceived QoL focuses on how people view their own life quality, especially if facing personal challenges (Levasseur, Tribble, & Desrosiers, ).…”