Exploring the SF-36, V2: Measuring the Quality of Life of AgrAbility Program Participants

Ronald C. Jester

Robert A. Wilson

University of Delaware

National AgrAbility Training Workshop

October 6, 2009

This evaluation focuses on Quality of Life enhancements associated with the AgrAbility Program

Quality of Life is measured with the SF-36, Version 2.

The SF-36 is the most widely-used quality of life survey in health research.

Validity and reliability of the SF-36 has been established through thousands of studies.

The SF-36 scoring program generates quality of life measures for individuals and groups.

The program also produces estimates of missing data, and scale reliability measures.

SF-36 Scoring:Inputs and Outputs

The responses to the SF-36 questionnaire are entered into the SF-36 scoring program.

The scoring program produces a comprehensive quality of life profile.

Statistical Analysis

The output from the SF-36 scoring program is imported into SPSS (Statistical Program for the Social Sciences).

Examples that follow are SPSS frequencies.

Follow-up data at one year are compared with these pre-test measures.

T-tests ( paired samples) are performed for the SF-36 indicator (means) and the other summary indicators.

The SF-36 Summary Measures

The SF-36 quality of life indicators include 8 sub-scales and 2 summary quality of life indices: one for physical health and one for mental health.

Health outcomes are gauged by comparing the averages of these scales prior to receiving service with the averages at one year into the AgrAbility Program.

The SF-36 is calculated for 8 sub-scales (0-100):1. Physical limitations

2. Limitations in social activities

3. Limitations in work and home roles

4. Bodily pain

5. Psychological distress and wellbeing

6. Limitations because of emotional problems

7. Energy and fatigue

8. General health perceptions

2 SF-36 quality of life summary scales:

Physical Health (PH) Mental Health (MH)

All scales are calibrated according to a U.S. general population survey norm of 50.

The following illustration shows a comparison of the SF-36

summary measures prior to the administration of a program with

same measures after the program is administered.

s

A minimum of 2 measurementsare necessary to gauge program outcome:

Time 1 Measurement at Program Intake

Time 2 Measurement at 1-Year Follow-up

SF-36 Program Computer Output

Following is SF-36 output for a sample of 41 AgrAbility clients at program intake.

Physical Functioning

Phyical Functioning-Norm Based56.4747.8839.2930.7022.11

Freq

uenc

y

10

8

6

4

2

0

Phyical Functioning-Norm Based

Bodily Pain

Bodily Pain-Norm Based57.4447.2537.0626.8716.68

Freq

uenc

y

10

8

6

4

2

0

Bodily Pain-Norm Based

General Health

General Health-Norm Based61.9955.5244.7429.6518.87

Freq

uenc

y

12.5

10.0

7.5

5.0

2.5

0.0

General Health-Norm Based

Vitality

Vitality-Norm Based57.8147.7537.6927.62

Freq

uenc

y

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Vitality-Norm Based

Social Functioning

Social Functioning-Norm Based56.5746.4736.3726.2716.18

Freq

uenc

y

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Social Functioning-Norm Based

Role-Emotional

Role Emotional Norm Based56.0850.4944.9039.3033.7128.1222.5311.35

Freq

uenc

y

6

4

2

0

Role Emotional Norm Based

Mental Health

Mental Health-Norm Based64.5458.4552.3546.2534.0627.9721.8715.77

Freq

uenc

y

8

6

4

2

0

Mental Health-Norm Based

Plans

Complete baseline SF-36 survey for the entire active Delaware and Maryland caseload.

Complete follow-up survey by December, 2009.

Complete analysis of the follow-up survey by March,2010.