PSYCHOMETRIC ASSESMENT OF THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL COMPONENTS OF THE SF-36 IN CHRONIC RENAL INSUFFICIENCY FAILURE PATIENTS IN TREATMENT WITH HAEMODYALISIS

Abstract

The quality of life related to health is a construct that is being used with increasing frequency to evaluate the variables related to health from the perspective of the individual. In this study we analyzed the characteristics of the summarized descriptive scales of physical health components (CSF) and mental health components (MSC) from the SF-36 V2 in terminal patients with chronic renal insufficiency treated with haemodialysis. This is a cross sectional quantitative study with a population of patients with the previously quoted pathology controlled in the dialysis facilities in the area of Concepcion, Chile in 2005. The sample onsisted of 270 patients, which is 65% of the universe. The main instrument was the SF-36 for measuring the quality of life main variable. Socio-demographic variables were added. The instrument showed a high
reliability for the components of physical and mental health with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86, for each one. In general terms, the instruments CSF and MSC from the SF-36 properly capture the life conditions that people are experiencing, as is the case with nephropath patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment, who were the subject of this study.