Psychometric Properties And Factor Invariance For The General Health Questionnaire (Ghq-28): Study In Peruvian Population Exposed To The Covid-19 Pandemic

@#Large-scale epidemics are known to significantly disrupt the mental health and perceived well-being of most populations. In spite of the wide range of screening tools, there are not many reliable and widespread tools for the identification of psychological symptoms in non-clinical populations during a health crisis. Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a psychometric analysis of the Goldberg's GHQ-28, through a sample of Peruvian adults by using a confirmatory factor analysis. Materials and Methods: 434 individuals have been examined, studying the goodness and structure of the Goldberg GHQ-28 questionnaire. Result: We found high reliability indicating optimal values (Cronbach α=0.829), also there are four correlated factors that show strict invariance among the 28 items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to examine the structure of the subscales. There are high levels of anxiety (X=1.01) and social dysfunction (X=1.21) in the assessed sampling. Conclusion: The factorial structure obtained in this study is similar to that originally described by the researchers involved in the original questionnaire. It is concluded that GHQ-28 is suitable to explore prevalence of psychopathologies in sanitary emergency contexts for general non-psychiatric population.

Validade fatorial do Questionário de Saúde Geral (QSG-28) / Factorial validity of the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) / Validez factorial del Cuestionario de Salud General (GHQ-28)

Conduzimos pesquisa com objetivo de avaliar a validade fatorial e a consistência interna do Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg com 28 itens (QSG-28) no Brasil, comparando os ajustes de sua estrutura fatorial com quatro, três e cinco fatores. Realizamos procedimento de tradução reversa (inglês-português-inglês) do instrumento. Aplicamos o QSG-28 em 878 estudantes de duas faculdades de Belo Horizonte/MG. Desenvolvemos análise fatorial exploratória, Smallest Space Analysis e análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC). Na AFC, nenhum dos modelos apresentou bons ajustes. O modelo de três fatores do QSG-28 se mostrou mais adequado que os modelos de quatro e cinco fatores para a avaliação de estudantes universitários, ainda que o modelo de quatro fatores possa ser adotado. Concluímos que o instrumento se configura em uma alternativa para rastrear alterações na saúde mental em indivíduos não clínicos, podendo ser utilizado em estudos no campo do trabalho.(AU)

This study evaluated the factorial validity and internal consistence of the Brazilian version of the 28-item Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (QSG-28), comparing the four, three and five factor adjustments of its factorial structure. A reverse translation procedure (English-Portuguese-English) of the instrument was carried out. We applied the QSG-28 with 878 students from two colleges in Belo Horizonte/MG. Exploratory factorial analysis, Smallest Space Analysis and confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) were performed. In the CFA, none of the models presented a good fit. The three-factor model of the QSG-28 was more appropriate than the four- and five-factor models for the evaluation of college students, although the four-factor model could be adopted. It was concluded that the instrument is an alternative for screening for changes in mental health in non-clinical individuals and can be used in occupational studies. (AU)

Se llevó a cabo una investigación con el objetivo de evaluar la validez factorial y consistencia interna del Cuestionario de Salud General de Goldberg con 28 ítems (QSG-28) en Brasil, comparando los ajustes de su estructura factorial con cuatro, tres y cinco factores. El procedimiento de traducción inversa (Inglés-Portugués-Inglés) del instrumento fue realizado. El QSG-28 fue aplicado en 878 estudiantes de dos facultades de Belo Horizonte/MG. También se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio, Smallest Space Analysis y análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC). En el AFC, ninguno de los modelos presentó buenos ajustes. El modelo de tres factores del QSG-28 se mostró más adecuado que los modelos de cuatro y cinco factores para la evaluación de estudiantes universitarios, aunque el modelo de cuatro factores pueda ser utilizado en estudios en el campo del trabajo. Concluimos que el instrumento se configura en una alternativa para el seguimiento de alteraciones en la salud mental en individuos no clínicos, pudiendo ser utilizado en estudios en el ámbito del trabajo. (AU)

Study of psycho-social impairment in patients presenting with age related macular degeneration in a tertiary eye care hospital.

Background: Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is an eye condition affecting old age people causing severe vision loss. This study was carried out to assess the psycho-social impairment in the ARMD patients and compare it with the normal eye patients. Methods: A Two study groups were made: 1. ARMD patients. 2. Control group patients. Patients of both the groups were made to fill “The validated Gujarati version of: General Health Quality Questionnaire-28 (GHQ 28)”. Self-scoring was done according to 0-1-2-3 lower to higher disability respectively. Results: Prevalence GHQ Mean score of ARMD patients was 34.27 and that of normal eye patients was 24.66. 80.85% of ARMD patients and 26.73% of normal eye patients were psychosocially impaired. Conclusion: ARMD patients are psychosocially more impaired as compared to control group patients (p value <0.001, highly significant).

Mental health issues in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls and their association with disease related factors.

Purpose: To investigate the mental health problems of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and the relationship between mental health, MS variables and disability status. Methods: The sample consisted of 80 participants, 40 MS patients and 40 Healthy Controls matched for gender, age and socioeconomic status. There were 30 (75%) women and 10 (25%) men, 27 (67.5%) Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients, 8 (20%), Secondary Progressive (SP) patients and 5 (12.5%) Primary Progressive (PP) patients in the MS group, 26 (65%) of those were on systemic treatment. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used to screen for mental health issues. Disability status was assessed with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Mean comparisons were performed using Student’s t test while effect sizes were estimated by Cohen’s d coefficient. Percentage ratio differences were tested using chi-square tests, corrected by Fischer’s exact test for 1 df. Correlations were investigated using Pearson’s r coefficient. Results: MS patients exhibited significantly more mental health problems than the healthy controls. The effect size of the presence of positive MS diagnosis ranged from large to very large with respect to overall psychological distress as well as with respect to the following different dimensions of psychological distress: somatic symptoms, anxiety - insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression. There were significantly more MS patients who could be diagnosed with mental health disorders (non psychotic disorders of axis I, DSM-IV-TR). Finally, no aspects of mental health impairment were significantly correlated with disease variables or disability status. Conclusions: Mental health problems in MS patients are evident and frequent. As they are independent of illness duration, medication or disability, special care should be taken in treating mental health problems in MS patients.