Health and health care; personal characteristics

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Description topics

SF-12 health measure, 12 plus

The 'Short Format 12' or SF-12 questionnaire is a selection of 12 questions from the SF-36 (Ware et al., 1995 *). The SF-12 is a widely used international standard of a generic health measure. The SF-12 measures eight health aspects, namely physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health problems, physical pain, general health, vitality (energy / fatigue), social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems and mental health. Based on the 12 questions, two partial scales can be calculated; a summary measure for physical health (norm score physical) and a summary measure for psychological health (norm score psychological).
These norm scores are calculated for people aged 12 or older.
*Ware J.E., Kosinski M., Keller S.D. SF-12: How to score the SF-12 Physical and Mental Health Summary Scales. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Second Edition, 1995.

Norm score physical

Standard score physical is determined for persons 12 years of age or older. The standard score physical is a summary physical health measure, which is calculated by means of the answers to the SF-12 questionnaire. The American population was used as the reference group in the development of the norm scores. In 1995, the physical health score for the American population was exactly 50. Mean values below 50 indicate less good physical health than in that standard population (American population 1995) and values above 50 indicate better health. For the Dutch population, the average of the physical norm score is slightly higher than 50.

Separate items

Physical health: less accomplished

The following question was asked to respondents aged 12 or older: When you think about your work or other daily activities, has your physical health helped you achieve less than you would like?
1.Yes
2. No.

Yes

The percentage of people aged 12 or older who answered ‘yes’ to the question ‘When you think about your work or other daily activities, have you accomplished less than you would like because of your physical health?’

No

The percentage of people aged 12 or older who answered ‘no’ to the question ‘When you think about your work or other daily activities, have you accomplished less than you would like because of your physical health?’

Physical health: limited work

The following question was asked to respondents aged 12 or older:
When thinking about your work or other daily activities, were you limited by your physical health in the type of work or activities?
1.Yes
2. No.

Yes

The percentage of people aged 12 or older who answered ‘yes’ to the question ‘When thinking about your work or other daily activities, were you limited by your physical health in the type of work or activities?’

No

The percentage of people aged 12 or older who answered ‘no’ to the question ‘When thinking about your work or other daily activities, were you limited by your physical health in the type of work or activities?’