Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey

Sabbah Ibtissam, Drouby Nabil, Sabbah Sanaa, Retel-Rude Nathalie, Mercier, Mercier Mariette

Description

Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL) studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36) was adapted into Arabic. Methods SF-36 was administered in a cross-sectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF-36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model) was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas) on all domains of the SF-36. Results The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items). Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF-36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70), factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF-36 in this population. Conclusion The results support the validity of the SF-36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL.

Sujets

• Arabic language
• Lebanon
• Quality of life
• Rural

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2003
• Nombre de lectures: 4
• Langue: English

Extrait

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

BioMedCentral

Open Access Research Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF36 Health Survey 1 2 3 1 Ibtissam Sabbah , Nabil Drouby , Sanaa Sabbah , Nathalie RetelRude and 1 Mariette Mercier*

1 2 Address: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Besançon, France, Department of Nephrology, University Hospital, 3 Saîda, Lebanon and Center of Methodology and Technology of the Information, Franche Comté University, Besançon, France Email: Ibtissam Sabbah  [e-mail]; Nabil Drouby  [e-mail]; Sanaa Sabbah  [e-mail]; Nathalie RetelRude  nathalie.retelrude@univfcomte.fr; Mariette Mercier*  mariette.mercier@univfcomte.fr * Corresponding author

Published: 06 August 2003 Received: 24 April 2003 Accepted: 06 August 2003 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes2003,1:30 This article is available from: http://www.hqlo.com/content/1/1/30 © 2003 Sabbah et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.

ArabicLebanonquality of liferuralSF36.

Abstract Background:Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL) studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF36) was adapted into Arabic.

Methods:SF36 was administered in a crosssectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model) was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas) on all domains of the SF36.

Results:The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items). Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70), factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF36 in this population.

Conclusion:The results support the validity of the SF36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL.

Page 1 of 14 (page number not for citation purposes)