Evaluation of a health status measure in adults with high psychosocial risk

The 63-item Duke UNC Health Profile assesses four dimensions of health status: presence of symptoms, physical function, social function, and emotional function. This instrument was developed for use in primary care research. We have tested its value in a primary care setting among individuals with suspected increased risk of health problems. In a group of 65 white adults with high life changes and weak social supports, this scale produced relatively stable functional status scores over fifteen months. In addition, functional status scores derived from this instrument were strongly correlated with cumulative six-month self-reported morbidity. These findings suggest that the Duke-UNC Health Profile is an acceptably reliable and valid measure of health status for adults with high psychosocial risk of health impairment.