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The MOS 36-ltem Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)

1992/06/01 by John E. Ware, Cathy Donald Sherbourne, Cathy D. Sherbourne · 29,955 citations
Health Professions · Medicine · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Anxiety #Clinical psychology #Disease #Emotional distress #Environmental health #Gerontology #Health Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention #Health and Wellbeing Research #Health disparities and outcomes #Health related quality of life #Medicine #Mental health #Population #Psychiatry #Psychology #SF-36 #Scale (ratio) #Vitality

paper · doi:10.1097/00005650-199206000-00002

published in Medical Care 30(6), 473-483 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)

openalex publication_date 1992/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

A 36-item short-form (SF-36) was constructed to survey health status in the Medical Outcomes Study. The SF-36 was designed for use in clinical practice and research, health policy evaluations, and general population surveys. The SF-36 includes one multi-item scale that assesses eight health concepts: 1) limitations in physical activities because of health problems; 2) limitations in social activities because of physical or emotional problems; 3) limitations in usual role activities because of physical health problems; 4) bodily pain; 5) general mental health (psychological distress and well-being); 6) limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems; 7) vitality (energy and fatigue); and 8) general health perceptions. The survey was constructed for self-administration by persons 14 years of age and older, and for administration by a trained interviewer in person or by telephone. The history of the development of the SF-36, the origin of specific items, and the logic underlying their selection are summarized. The content and features of the SF-36 are compared with the 20-item Medical Outcomes Study short-form.

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