Reliability and Validity of the Thai Version of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS)
Bupawan Phuaphanprasert DDS, MBA*, Manit Srisurapanont MD**, Chatchawan Silpakit MD, PhD***, Supasit Pannarunothai MD, PhD****, Pichet Udomratn MD*****, Alan Geater PhD*****, Prayad Prapaphom RN*
Affiliation : * Suan Prung Psychiatric Hospital, Muang, Chiang Mai ** Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai *** Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Phayathai, Bangkok **** Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Muang, Phitsanulok ***** Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla
Background : Measurement in psychiatric services is important for the development of a psychiatric tool for
budget allocation.
Objective : To translate the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) into Thai and to assess its psycho-
metric properties.
Materials and Methods : The HoNOS was translated into Thai, by using the standard of “forward-backward”
translation procedure. Two psychiatric nurses interviewed subjects together but independently rated their
scores. The subjects were 23 acute inpatients and 23 sub-acute inpatients. The reliability and validity was
assessed.
Results : The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the Thai HoNOS was 0.68. It had a high correlation (r > 0.80)
with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and the Clinical
Global Impression (CGI). It suggested high concurrent validity. It had a satisfactory power (p < 0.05) in
discriminating overall clinical outcomes between acute and sub-acute psychiatric inpatients.
Conclusion : The Thai HoNOS fulfils the requirements of a psychiatric outcome scale for routine use in inpatient
service.
Keywords : Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS), Psychiatric patient, Measurement, Thailand
