Utilisation of SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF in assessing health related quality of life of people living with sickle cell disease in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be assessed with generic or disease-specific HRQoL instruments. The use of a generic tool will however allow comparison between Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) with other populations. To provide accurate data on HRQoL however, the instrument must be a valid tool to measure this outcome.

Objective: The study is to determine and compare the utility of two generic HRQoL tools, SF-36 and WHOQOLBREF in assessing HRQoL in Nigerians with SCD to determine which is better suited for the population.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey of 180 young adult with SCD. HRQoL was evaluated using the Short Form 36 version 2 Health Survey (SF-36v2) and WHOQOL-BREF. Internal consistency, reliability and sensitivity were determined and compared. The degree of correlation between both tools in measuring HRQoL in the same population was also determined.

Results: SF-36 showed better internal consistency (0.61- 0.90) than the WHOQOL-BREF (0.32-0.90), with the former less affected by ceiling and floor effects. Both instruments were equally sensitive to discriminate between participants with SCD related complication and recent hospitalisation from those without SCD related complication and recent hospitalisation with those with complications/hospitalisation reporting significantly lower HRQoL scores with both instruments. Both also showed weak to strong positive correlations in their measures.

Conclusion: The SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF are both useful tools in assessing HRQoL in people with SCD in Nigeria. Whilst they overlap in measuring certain segments of HRQoL; they show strength for different domains of HRQoL.

Keywords: Sickle cell disease, Quality of life, SF-36, WHOQOL BREF, Nigeria