Assessing a Self-Report Health Measure for Non-English-Speaking Elders: Issues in Using the SF-36 Health Survey

Abstract

Objective: Approved versions of the SF-36 Version 1.0 are used for limited-English-speaking individuals whose primary languages are Korean, Chinese, and Spanish to test the respective translations for use among immigrants to the United States. Method: Surveys are completed by an older adult and a nominated adult family caregiver (N = 132). Results: Adequate internal consistency and validity are found for Chinese and Spanish with the exception of the Social Functioning (Spanish) and Vitality (Chinese) Scales. The Korean version has reliability and validity issues. Comparisons are made with English language norms and studies that use translations in Spanish and Chinese. No comparative data for Korean Americans are found. Recommendations are made for reading reports of and using SF-36 translations. Conclusion: Paying attention to options in use of translations of the SF-36 in Chinese and Spanish improves the relevance of findings to research and practice.