Initial Construct Cross-Cultural Validation of the Short Form 36 for Quality of Life Assessment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in Singapore

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire measures differences in quality of life between lupus patients and healthy controls in Singapore. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on consecutive English-speaking, female Chinese lupus patients seen at a Rheumatology unit. Healthy volunteers were recruited as controls during the same time period. All subjects completed the United Kingdom version of the SF-36. Lupus disease activity was assessed using the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) index and converted to a global score. Lupus-related damage was measured using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACRDI). The main outcomes measured were the mean SF-36 scale scores for lupus patients and healthy controls. Thirty-six lupus patients and 76 controls were included in the study. All subjects were English-speaking, Chinese female between 21 and 53 years of age. The mean age of patients and controls was 31.9 and 29.0 years respectively. Lupus patients had lower mean scale scores than controls for physical functioning (73.0 versus 89.7, P