Factor structure of the 28-item general health questionnaire in a sample of antenatal women

The factor structure of responses to the twenty-eight-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) in a sample of 277 Nigerian antenatal women was examined.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Varimax rotation were used.

A four factor structure interpretable as social dysfunction, somatic-anxiety, depression-anxiety, and severe depression was obtained.

Although the factor structure in this sample is similar to that previously reported with this instrument, the factor loadings particularly for the anxiety subscale differed. Thus, the factor structures of the GHQ may differ depending on the cultural background of the sample.