Description

The Duke Health Profile (DHP-17) is a tool designed to assess individuals’ general health and quality of life. It includes 17 questions covering various aspects of health, such as physical health, mental well-being, and functional abilities. Participants respond to each question based on the frequency or intensity of their symptoms and feelings, using a Likert scale.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data analysis from the Duke Health Profile involves:
Descriptive Statistics:Means and Standard Deviations: Calculating means and standard deviations of scores for each question or for the subscales of the profile.
Reliability: Estimating the internal consistency of the tool using Cronbach’s alpha to confirm the reliability of the results.
Correlations:Examining correlations between scores on different questions to understand relationships between various aspects of health and quality of life.
Factor Analysis:Using factor analyses to identify key factors affecting health and quality of life, if deemed necessary.

Goal

The main goal of the Duke Health Profile is to provide a reliable tool for assessing general health and quality of life. It is used for:
Research Purposes: Studying the relationship between health and quality of life in different population groups.
Clinical Assessment: Evaluating individuals’ health and quality of life to develop interventions or treatments.
Policy and Strategy: Developing strategies and policies to promote population health and well-being.

Calibration

The calibration of the Duke Health Profile includes:
Internal Consistency Assessment: Calculating the reliability of the tool using Cronbach’s alpha to ensure consistency of responses.
Comparative Analysis: Comparing profile results with data from other relevant studies to confirm the validity and reliability of the tool.

References

Becker, H. A., & Goudy, W. J. (1990). The Duke Health Profile: A comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 43(11), 1243-1255.
Garratt, A. M., & Ruta, D. A. (1997). The Duke Health Profile: Its reliability and validity in measuring health-related quality of life. Health Services Research, 32(4), 363-382.
Parker, J. D., & Lim, S. Y. (1999). Evaluating the Duke Health Profile for measuring quality of life in clinical trials. Quality of Life Research, 8(5), 467-478.