Reliability and factor analysis of general health questionnaire 12 in malay version among women with abnormal pap smear results Mardiana Mansor 1 , Mainul Haque 2 , Shabbir Ahmed Sheikh 3 , Lim Chin Choon 4 , and Afiqah Mat Zin 1 1. School of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UniSZA Campus Gong Badak, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 2. Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defense Health, National Defense University of Malaysia, Kem Sungai Besi, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3. Unit of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, UniSZA Medical Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 20400, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 4. Faculty of Medicine, UCSA, BIM Point, 25150, Bandar Indera Mahkota, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia 357 [AMJ 2016;9(9):357–364] RESEARCH Please cite this paper as: Mansor M, Haque M, Ahmad Sheikh S, Choon LC, Mat Zin A. Reliability and factor analysis of general health questionnaire 12 in malay version among women with abnormal pap smear results. AMJ 2016;9(9):357–364. http://dx.doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2016.2711 Corresponding Author: Mainul Haque Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health National Defence University of Malaysia Kem Sungai Besi, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: runurono@gmail.com ABSTRACT Background The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) is widely used to detect minor psychiatric and potential non- psychiatric disorders, and has been translated into many languages and validated for a variety of populations. GHQ- 12 has been used for medical students, in health sciences, and other disciplines in order to study the impact on general health of current disease. Aims The purpose of this study is to determine the reliability and validity of GHQ-12 in Malay version among women with an abnormal Pap smear result. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of 70 Malaysian women with an abnormal Pap smear. The data was collected in 2015. The self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic and GHQ-12 was completed by respondents within 15 minutes. Data was analysed using SPPS version 22. Results Exploratory factor analysis in the Malay version of GHQ-12 depicts five models with a three factor structure for each model. Faster loading of all items was above 0.6 except three iteŵs iŶ iteŵ Ŷuŵďer ϳ, ϴ aŶd ϭϬ. CroŶďaĐhs alpha for all models of GHQ-12 range from 0.75 to 0.81. All of the items in GHQ-12 were more than 0.6, which demonstrated a reasonably excellent internal consistency. Conclusion This study found that the Malay version of GHQ-12 was reliable and valid to assess the general health among women with abnormal Pap smear results, whereby 12 items possess excellent internal consistency. It also helps to detect stress and depression among women with abnormal Pap smear results which will impact their general health. Key Words Reliability, factor analysis, abnormal pap smear result What this study adds: 1. What is known about this subject? GHQ-12 has been used for medical students, in health sciences, and other disciplines in order to study the impact on general health of current disease. 2. What new information is offered in this study? It is suggested that GHQ-12 Malay version is a reliable