RAND SF-12 Health Survey (SF-12)

A 12-item, research-validated questionnaire that measures eight key dimensions of health-related quality of life.

Base your answers on the past four weeks (unless a question states otherwise).
Most people finish in ≈ 2 minutes.
Select the response that best represents you—there are no right or wrong answers.
Your responses stay on this device and are never uploaded.

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Your SF-12 Profile

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The charts above show your scores on the eight SF-12 health dimensions, each transformed to a 0 – 100 scale (higher = better health).

This self-report instrument does not diagnose disease. If you are concerned about any aspect of your health, consider discussing these results with a qualified health-care professional.

Your Answers

#	Item	Response
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Tags: Psychology , Psychometrics

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Health related quality of life is a practical snapshot of how you feel and function across body and mind. This health related quality of life questionnaire summarizes eight areas into a coherent profile so you can track change over time.

You read each question and choose the option that fits best for the past four weeks. Scores land on a simple 0 to 100 scale so higher means better functioning and you can compare different days and weeks with ease.

A clear example helps. If pain is mild and daily tasks feel steady you may see higher values for pain and role related areas and a balanced physical and mental picture. If energy feels low your mental side can sit lower even when movement is fine.

Answer consistently and base your choices on the same recall window for each item. Results support reflection and planning and do not replace professional advice. This tool provides informational estimates and does not substitute professional advice.

Technical Details:

The instrument measures health related quality of life (HRQoL) across eight domains: General Health, Physical Functioning, Role‑Physical, Pain, Role‑Emotional, Emotional Well‑being, Energy / Fatigue, and Social Functioning. Each domain reflects a different facet of everyday functioning over the past four weeks.

Each item response is transformed to a 0–100 score with a linear mapping so higher values indicate better functioning. Some items are reverse coded as implemented in the package, ensuring the direction of better health remains consistent across items.

Domain scores are the mean of their item scores, rounded to one decimal place. Two summaries are then computed: the Physical Component Summary (PCS) as the mean of Physical Functioning, Role‑Physical, Pain, and General Health, and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) as the mean of Emotional Well‑being, Role‑Emotional, Social Functioning, and Energy / Fatigue.

Interpretation bands are simple: scores at or above 75 indicate high functioning, scores from 50 to 74.9 indicate moderate functioning, and scores below 50 indicate lower functioning that may merit attention. Profile balance is labeled “Balanced profile” when the absolute difference between PCS and MCS is under 4; otherwise the higher side is noted.

\begin{array}{lcl} s & = & (\frac{v - 1}{n - 1}) \times 100 \\ s_{rev} & = & (\frac{n - v}{n - 1}) \times 100 \\ S_{D} & = & \frac{\sum s_{i}}{k} \\ PCS & = & \frac{PF + RP + Pain + GH}{4} \\ MCS & = & \frac{EW + RE + SF + EF}{4} \end{array}

Symbols and units
Symbol	Meaning	Unit/Datatype	Source
v	Coded response value for an item	Integer 1…n	Input
n	Number of choices for that item	Integer	Constant
s	Item score after transform	0–100	Derived
S_D	Domain mean of item scores	0–100	Derived
k	Number of items in a domain	Integer	Constant
PCS	Physical Component Summary	0–100	Derived
MCS	Mental Component Summary	0–100	Derived

Worked example

Pain item with five choices: selecting “Mild” gives v=4, n=5.

s = (\frac{4 - 1}{5 - 1}) \times 100 = 75

PCS from four domain scores PF=100, RP=100, Pain=75, GH=50:

PCS = \frac{100 + 100 + 75 + 50}{4} = 81.25 \to 81.3

This result sits in the high band and would typically align with a “Stronger physical” or “Balanced profile” label depending on MCS.

Interpretation bands
Band	Lower bound	Upper bound	Interpretation	Action cue
High	75.0	100.0	Above‑average functioning.	Sustain helpful routines.
Moderate	50.0	74.9	Mid‑range functioning.	Target small improvements.
Lower	0.0	49.9	Lower functioning.	Consider focused changes.

Domains & items:

Domains with item mapping and coding direction
Domain	Item IDs	Items	Coding
General Health	1	1	Reverse
Physical Functioning	2, 3	2	Forward
Role‑Physical	4, 5	2	Forward
Pain	6	1	Forward
Role‑Emotional	7, 8	2	Forward
Emotional Well‑being	9, 10	2	Item 10 reverse
Energy / Fatigue	11	1	Forward
Social Functioning	12	1	Reverse

Units, precision & rounding:

Scores use a 0–100 scale, displayed with one decimal place.
Displayed numbers follow your locale’s decimal separator.
Charts cap axes at 100 and update after all items are answered.

Validation & bounds:

Validation and bounds extracted from implementation
Field	Type	Min	Max	Step/Pattern	Error text
Responses	12× radio choice	12 answers	12 answers	Finite sets per item	None shown
URL parameter `r`	String	12 chars	12 chars	`^[0-6\-]{12}$`	Invalid is ignored

I/O formats & encoding:

Inputs and outputs
Input	Accepted families	Output	Encoding/precision	Notes
Item selections	Predefined options	Domain scores, PCS, MCS	One decimal place	Updated after all 12 answers
Answer export	CSV, DOCX	Answer table	Exact labels	Copy or download, optional

Networking & storage behavior:

Processing is browser‑based; responses are kept on the device.
The page loads a charting library from a public CDN; survey data is not transmitted.
State sharing is supported via a compact URL parameter that encodes responses.

Assumptions & limitations:

Self‑report can vary by mood and context. Heads‑up
Scoring uses simple linear transforms and equal weights across items.
No demographic norm adjustments or age‑specific references are applied.
Balance labels use a 4‑point PCS–MCS difference threshold.
Bands are coarse guides and do not diagnose health conditions.
Recall period is the past four weeks; inconsistent recall reduces comparability.
Charts provide visualization only; numeric results are authoritative.
Exports place data on your device; handle files with care.

Edge cases & error sources:

Editing the URL parameter to an invalid pattern silently falls back to defaults.
Partial responses show progress but no scores until all answers are present.
Locale settings can change decimal separators in displayed values.
Rounding to one decimal can mask small changes near band edges.
Blocked CDN access prevents charts from rendering though scores still compute.
Very small screens may truncate long item texts; scroll to view fully.
Rapidly changing answers can briefly desync list highlights until settled.
Copy to clipboard can be denied by browser permissions.
DOCX export depends on client support; very old browsers may not export.
Sharing a saved URL reflects the encoded answers exactly, including mistakes.

Privacy & compliance:

No data is transmitted or stored server‑side; all scoring runs on the device. Health‑related outputs are informational and not clinical advice.

Step‑by‑Step Guide:

The survey estimates health related quality of life and yields domain scores plus PCS and MCS.

Start the survey and read each item carefully.
Select one option per item based on the past four weeks 12 answers required.
Review the profile with domain scores, PCS, and MCS.
Optionally copy or download your answers as CSV or export a DOCX.
Save or share the page URL to preserve the encoded response state.

Example: If Physical Functioning and Role‑Physical are high and Pain is moderate, expect a higher PCS with a “Balanced profile” when MCS is similar.

Use the same recall window next time to compare results fairly.

FAQ:

Is my data stored?

Responses stay on the device and are not uploaded. Exports create files locally that you control.

Handle exported files carefully.

How accurate are the scores?

Scores use linear transforms and means with one‑decimal rounding. They reflect self‑report and are best for tracking patterns over time.

Band edges can shift with small answer changes.

What units or formats are used?

All scores use a 0–100 scale. Numbers display with your locale’s decimal separator and one decimal place.

Can I use this without a connection?

Scoring works on the device, but first load requires a connection to fetch the charting library. Saved pages can continue to score without charts.

Is there a cost or license?

Use within the limits of the hosting site. No fees are collected by this page.

How do I validate a saved profile?

A valid URL state uses exactly 12 characters of digits or dashes. Any mismatch is ignored and the survey resets to safe defaults.

What does a “borderline” result mean?

Values near 50 or 75 can drift with small answer changes. Recheck within a consistent recall window before acting on minor shifts.

Troubleshooting:

Nothing happens after answering: finish all 12 items.
Charts missing: allow the page to load its charting library and retry.
Copy fails: grant clipboard permission or use the download option.
DOCX export fails: try a modern browser or use CSV.
Numbers look odd: check your locale’s decimal separator.
Shared link shows different answers: the URL was altered; retake the survey.

If the page will not start or controls appear unresponsive, reload the page and ensure scripts are allowed to run.

Advanced Tips:

Tip Keep the recall window fixed at four weeks to make comparisons meaningful.
Tip Save the URL after finishing to preserve the encoded response state.
Tip Watch PCS and MCS together; large gaps can guide which domain to address first.
Tip Focus on the lowest domain first; small gains there can lift the overall mean.
Tip When near a band edge, retake once on a different day to check stability.
Tip Use exports to keep a dated log so you can review trends with context notes.

Glossary:

HRQoL: Health related quality of life across physical and mental domains.
Domain score: Mean of item scores within one facet, on a 0–100 scale.
PCS: Physical Component Summary, mean of four physical‑leaning domains.
MCS: Mental Component Summary, mean of four mental‑leaning domains.
Reverse coded: Scoring where lower raw values map to higher health scores.
Band: Interpretive bracket such as high, moderate, or lower functioning.