Health status and functioning among the homeless mentally ill: An assessment of the medical outcomes study SF-36 scales

• Published in: Evaluation and program planning Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 151 - 161
• Main Authors: Wood, Patricia A., Hurlburt, Michael S., Hough, Richard L., Hofstetter, C.Richard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.1997; Elsevier
• Series: Evaluation and Program Planning
• Subjects: Health; Homelessness; Measurement; Mental Illness; Reliability; Scales; Validity
• ISSN: 0149-7189
• DOI: 10.1016/S0149-7189(96)00046-8

While the SF-36 health status instrument has documented reliability and validity for nonpsychiatric populations, use of the instrument among people who are severely mentally ill requires investigation. This paper evaluates the performance of six of the eight SF-36 subscales in a large sample of homeless mentally ill individuals, examining: (a) the internal consistency of each subscale, (b) the internal structure of the SF-36 as a measurement instrument, (c) the average levels of functioning and well-being reported compared to a general population sample, (d) the sensitivity of the scales to clinical differences, and (e) the relationship between change on the SF-36 and change on other related measures. Data confirm high levels of internal reliability, a two-factor structure similar to that reported for the general population, and the ability of the short-form scales to discriminate between groups varying in level of clinical disturbance.