[Evaluation of health status using Survey SF-36: preliminary results in Mexico]

To establish a multidimensional profile of the health status in a population of southeastern Mexico and analyze the psychometric properties of a translation of the SF-36 survey authorized by the International Quality of Life Assessment Project.

The SF-36 was administered to 257 volunteers of a clinic and a control group in a governmental institution. The methodology proposed by the author of the survey to build the health scales was used without modifications. The validity and reliability of the SF-36 adaptation to Mexico was psychometrically analyzed.

Eight scales or health concepts related to physical function, physical role, body pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role and mental health were constructed. In the health service volunteers, the scale with the lowest mean was general health (63), and that with the highest (89) was physical role. In the control population, the lowest mean was general health (73) and the highest (94.6) was physical function. A comparison of the health scales of both groups showed significant differences in physical function, physical role, body pain, general health and vitality.

Based on the psychometric evaluation, the SF-36 shows satisfactory consistency with its supposed validity and reliability, although the translation of certain items will be further analyzed for subsequent modifications.