The quality of life (QOL) of the Chinese ‘floating’ migrant population is of growing concern. Urban construction workers are the main migrant population in China, but there is little published research on their QOL. The reliability and validity of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire were assessed by conducting a population-based study of migrant construction workers in Shenyang, China. Two construction sites were randomly selected from each of the five districts of Shenyang City and 1200 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to rurally-registered, non-Shenyang workers aged ≥ 16 years at these sites. A total of 1125 questionnaires were evaluated. The overall Cronbach's a coefficient of the SF-36 questionnaire was 0.821 while the respective Cronbach's α coefficient for each dimension was > 0.70. Results showed that the SF-36 questionnaire demonstrated good reliability and validity, and that it can be used to measure QOL among Chinese migrant urban construction workers.
CaiF: Causes, trends, and policy of population migration and the floating population. Chin J Popul Sci1996; 8: 179–191.
2.
MaZ: Temporary migration and regional development in China. Environ Plan A1999; 31: 783–802.
3.
JiangZ: President Jiang Zemin on family planning and environmental protection. China Popul Today1998; 15: 2–3.
4.
HuXCookSSalazarMA: Internal migration and health in China. Lancet2008; 372: 1717–1719.
5.
HeskethTYeXJLiL: Health status and access to health care of migrant workers in China. Public Health Rep2008; 123: 189–197.
6.
LiXStantonBFangX: Social stigma and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants in China: A conceptual framework and future research needs. World Health Popul2006; 8 (3): 14–31.
7.
LiXStantonBChenX: Health indicators and geographic mobility among young rural-to-urban migrants in China. World Health Popul2006; 8 (2): 5–21.
8.
ChenW: Commentary: The health of rural-to-urban migrants in China. World Health Popul2006; 8 (2): 4.
9.
StewartALWareJE: Measuring Functional and Well Being: the Medical Outcomes Study Approach. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1992.
10.
WareJEShehourneCD: The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care1999; 30: 473–483.
11.
HoffmanDLDukesEM: The health status burden of people with fibromyalgia: A review of studies that assessed health status with the SF-36 or the SF-12. Int J Clin Pract2008; 62: 115–126.
12.
NeelakantanDOmojoleFClarkTJ: Quality of life instruments in studies of chronic pelvic pain: A systematic review. J Obstet Gynaecol2004; 24: 851–858.
13.
PompiliMLesterDInnamoratiM: Quality of life and suicide risk in patients with diabetes mellitus. Psychosomatics2009; 50: 16–23.
14.
VasilievaIA: Quality of life in chronic hemodialysis patients in Russia. Hemodial Int2006; 10: 274–278.
15.
BrazierJ: The SF-36 health survey questionnaire–a tool for economists. Health Econ1993; 2: 213–215.
16.
CorcoranWEDurhamCF: Quality of life as an outcome-based evaluation of coronary artery bypass graft critical paths using the SF-36. Qual Manag Health Care2000; 8: 72–81.
17.
FangXL: Liaoning Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistical Press, 2006.
18.
WangRWuCZhaoY: Health related quality of life measured by SF-36: A population-based study in Shanghai, China. BMC Public Health2008; 8: 292.
19.
JafariHLahsaeizadehSJafariP: Quality of life in thalassemia major: Reliability and validity of the Persian version of the SF-36 questionnaire. J Postgrad Med2008; 54: 273–275.
20.
LindeLSørensenJOstergaardM: Health-related quality of life: Validity, reliability, and responsiveness of SF-36, 15D, EQ-5D RAQoL, and HAQ in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol2008; 35: 1528–1537.
21.
SeveroMSantosACLopesC: Reliability and validity in measuring physical and mental health construct of the Portuguese version of MOS SF-36. Acta Med Port2006; 19: 281–287 [in Portuguese].
22.
PeekMKRayLPatelK: Reliability and validity of the SF-36 among older Mexican Americans. Gerontologist2004; 44: 418–425.
23.
LauritsenJM (ed): EpiData Data Entry, Data Management and Basic Statistical Analysis System. Odense: EpiData Association, 2000–2008 (http://www.epidata.dk).
24.
VilagutGValderasJMFerrerM: Interpretation of SF-36 and SF-12 questionnaires in Spain: Physical and mental components. Med Clin (Barc)2008; 130: 726–735 [in Spanish].
25.
PimentaFASimilFFTôrresHO: Retiree quality of life assessment with SF-36 questionnaire. Rev Assoc Med Bras2008; 54: 55–60 [in Portuguese].
26.
OnishiTNishikawaKHasegawaY: Assessment of health-related quality of life after radiofrequency ablation or laparoscopic surgery for small renal cell carcinoma: A prospective study with medical outcomes Study 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Jpn J Clin Oncol2007; 37: 750–754.
27.
VeresciaginaKAmbrozaitisKVSpakauskasB: Health-related quality-of-life assessment in patients with low back pain using SF-36 questionnaire. Medicina (Kaunas)2007; 43: 607–613.
28.
ArslantasDAyranciUUnsalA: Prevalence of hypertension among individuals aged 50 years and over and its impact on health related quality of life in a semi-rural area of western Turkey. Chin Med J (Engl)2008; 121: 1524–1531.
29.
ZhouBChenKWangJF: Reliability and validity of a Short-Form Health Survey Scale (SF-36), Chinese version used in an elderly population of Zhejiang province in China. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi2008; 29: 1193–1198 [in Chinese].
30.
MokWYLamCLLamB: A Chinese version of the Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index was evaluated for reliability, validity, and responsiveness. J Clin Epidemiol2004; 57: 470–478.
