This paper presents reference values for two questionnaires measuring
general health, the General Health Rating Index (GHRI) and the Health
Index (HI) and one questionnaire measuring anxiety state, the State Tr
ait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-state). The sample used was randomly selec
ted from a Swedish urban population consisting of 180 individuals (90
men. 90 women), divided into three age groups, 26-45, 46-65 and > 65 y
ears. There was a main effect for age on the total GHRI score. The GHR
I score was lower for older than for younger people, which is in agree
ment with earlier studies. For the HI there were main effects both for
gender and age and no interaction was found. Although the sample size
is small our result was in agreement to earlier studies and to health
statistics in Sweden 1989. The health measures significantly correlat
ed with the scores of anxiety inventory used. The total GHRI scores co
rrelated positively and significantly with the HI scale (r = 0.7, p <
0.001). The GHRI and HI scales correlated negatively and significantly
with the STAI scale (r = -0.4, p < 0.001, r = -0.4, p < 0.001) respec
tively. Thus, the better the general health the lower the rated anxiet
y. The value of health status measures in clinical research is reasona
bly well established, but their values for clinical care are less clea
r. The use for health index scores for quality assurance purpose is al
most unexplored and could possibly be used for outcome measures in eva
luating areas of nursing interventions. The short Health Index is one
possible outcome measure.