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NHP or SIP--a comparative study in renal insufficiency associated anemia
M L Essink-Bot1, P F Krabbe, H M van Agt
1Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Summary
The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) demonstrated better feasibility and internal consistency than the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) in renal dialysis patients. The NHP emphasizes mental functioning, while the SIP focuses on physical functioning.
Area of Science:
- Health Outcomes Research
- Psychometrics
- Nephrology
Background:
- Generic health status measures are crucial for assessing patient well-being in chronic conditions.
- The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) are widely used but require validation in specific patient populations.
- Renal dialysis patients experience complex health challenges impacting both physical and mental status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the feasibility, internal structure, and psychometric properties of the NHP and SIP in patients undergoing renal dialysis.
- To evaluate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of both instruments.
- To determine which measure better captures the health status of this specific patient group.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 63 renal dialysis patients.
- Assessment of feasibility (length, difficulty), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and test-retest reliability (24-hour interval).
- Construct validity was examined through scale intercorrelations and correlations with measures of physical (ADL, Karnofsky) and psychological (STAI, SDS-Zung) functioning, alongside factor analysis.
Main Results:
- The NHP was found to be more feasible (shorter, less difficult) than the SIP.
- NHP demonstrated slightly higher internal consistency (mean alpha 0.67) compared to SIP (mean alpha 0.65).
- Test-retest reliability was acceptable for most NHP scales; SIP reliability was not assessed. Factor analysis indicated SIP loaded more on physical functioning, NHP on mental functioning.
Conclusions:
- The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) generally outperformed the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) in terms of feasibility and internal consistency for renal dialysis patients.
- The NHP appears to be a more suitable measure for assessing the perceived health and mental functioning in this population.
- The SIP is more aligned with measuring physical functioning, confirming the distinct emphases of the two instruments.