Summary
This working paper presents interim Australian norms for the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 health status questionnaire (SF-36). These norms are based on a sample of 6,903 Australian adults collected during 1994 and 1995 using the Australian Bureau of Statistics Population Survey Monitor.
These norms are described as 'interim norms' because they will be superseded by norms based on data collected from approximately 18,000 Australian adults as part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey. However, the National Health Survey results will not be available until the end of 1996, so the norms published here are intended for use in the interim.
Chapter 1 of this paper presents the background to this analysis and briefly describes the Population Survey Monitor. Chapter 2 is a discussion of the statistical issues involved in using these norms. Chapter 3 is a discussion of the interpretation of these norms and includes a description of each of the data items presented in the tables. Chapter 4 presents the norms classified by age and sex. Chapter 5 presents SF-36 profiles for selected demographic and socio-economic groups. Chapter 6 presents SF-36 profiles for selected health related behaviours and risk factors.