Hierarchical measurement structure in the Women's Health Questionnaire: a confirmatory factor analysis.

This study conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the measurement structure of the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and how its components were organized. Participants were 448 postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 63.3 years. CFA was conducted to test how well several proposed measurement models fit the data. The single-factor model performed poorly, indicating the presence of multiple factors. The model with seven correlated factors fit the data well, although the varying degrees of inter-factor correlations suggested grouping of similar factors. The hierarchical measurement structure, with seven first-order factors organized under two second-order factors of physical health and mental health functioning, demonstrated a good fit with the data ((367) = 694.05,  < 0.001; root mean square error of approximation = 0.05; comparative fit index = 0.95) and a meaningful pattern. The Mental Health factor was represented by Depressed Mood, Anxiety/Fear, Memory/Concentration Problems, and Sleep Problems. The Physical Health factor was manifested mainly by Somatic Symptoms, Menstrual Symptoms, and Vasomotor Symptoms, and, to a lesser extent, also by Sleep Problems and Memory/Concentration Problems. Findings suggested that, in addition to a global index and subscale scores, the WHQ may produce summary scores of physical health and mental health functioning in evaluation of well-being among postmenopausal women.