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Duke Health Profile
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About Duke Health Profile
Scale Name
Duke Health Profile
Author Details
George R. Parkerson Jr., W. Eugene Broadhead, and Chiu-Kit J. Tse
Translation Availability
English

Background/Description
The Duke Health Profile (DUKE) is a concise, self-report instrument designed to assess health-related quality of life and functional status across physical, mental, and social domains. Developed in 1990 by George R. Parkerson Jr., W. Eugene Broadhead, and Chiu-Kit J. Tse, the DUKE was created to provide a practical, multidimensional measure for use in primary care, clinical research, and population health studies. Its development was driven by the need for a brief yet comprehensive tool that could evaluate health status in diverse patient groups, including those with chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, or general medical concerns, while being sensitive to changes over time.
The DUKE consists of 17 items, scored on a 3-point scale (0 to 2), yielding 10 subscales: physical health, mental health, social health, general health (a composite), perceived health, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, pain, and disability. Scores for each subscale are transformed to a 0-100 range, with higher scores indicating better health or lower dysfunction, except for dysfunction-focused scales (e.g., anxiety, depression), where higher scores reflect greater impairment. The questionnaire asks respondents to reflect on their health and functioning over the past week, covering aspects like energy levels, emotional well-being, social interactions, and physical limitations. Its validation involved primary care patients, ensuring relevance to real-world clinical settings.
Psychologists, physicians, and public health professionals value the DUKE for its ability to capture a holistic view of health, integrating psychological and social factors with physical well-being. Its brevity makes it feasible for routine use, while its sensitivity to change supports monitoring outcomes in interventions like psychotherapy, medication management, or lifestyle programs. The scale’s translations enhance its global applicability, enabling clinicians to assess and improve patient quality of life across diverse populations.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Duke Health Profile from a trusted source, such as peer-reviewed journals, authorized publishers, or the Duke University Medical Center, ensuring proper use permissions.
- Explain the purpose of the DUKE to the respondent, noting that it assesses overall health and functioning to guide care or research, emphasizing its quick and straightforward nature.
- Provide instructions, asking the respondent to answer each of the 17 items based on their experiences over the past week, selecting the option (0, 1, or 2) that best fits their situation.
- Approximate time for completion is about 5-7 minutes, depending on the respondent’s reading speed and comprehension.
- Administer the scale in a private, comfortable setting, using paper or digital formats, to ensure accurate and candid responses.
Reliability and Validity
The Duke Health Profile demonstrates robust psychometric properties, supporting its use in clinical and research contexts. Internal consistency is satisfactory, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.55 to 0.78 across subscales, reflecting moderate to good cohesion given the small number of items per scale. Test-retest reliability is strong, with correlations of 0.60-0.80 over one-week intervals in stable populations, indicating consistent measurement of health status.
Convergent validity is evidenced by significant correlations with related measures, such as the Short Form-36 (SF-36) for physical and mental health (r = 0.60-0.75) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for depression (r = 0.65-0.70). Discriminant validity is supported by weaker associations with unrelated constructs, like unrelated physical symptoms (r < 0.40). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to differentiate healthy individuals from those with chronic conditions and its sensitivity to changes following interventions, such as improved scores post-therapy or medical treatment. These qualities, as reported by Parkerson et al. (1990), affirm the DUKE’s reliability and validity.
Available Versions
17-Items
Reference
Parkerson Jr, G. R., Broadhead, W. E., & Chiu-Kit, J. T. (1990). The Duke Health Profile: a 17-ltem measure of Health and Dysfunction. Medical care, 28(11), 1056-1072.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the DUKE measure?
It measures health-related quality of life across physical, mental, and social domains.
Who can use the DUKE?
Clinicians, psychologists, and researchers in primary care or health studies.
How long does the DUKE take to complete?
It takes about 5-7 minutes.
Is the DUKE specific to one condition?
No, it’s used for various health conditions and general populations.
Can the DUKE track treatment outcomes?
Yes, it’s sensitive to changes from medical or psychological interventions.
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