Reviewer's report
Title:Post-Disaster Health-Related Quality of Life of Female Survivors after
Earthquake: A Comparative Study of Double Tracking of Sichuan Earthquakes
Version:6Date:5 December 2013
Reviewer: Yanwei Li Li
Reviewer's report:
This study shines by focusing on post-disaster health-related quality of life
(HRQOL) of female survivors after earthquakes and comparing data on male
survivors in the first survey and double tracking survey data. To my knowledge,
there are few studies concerning health status of survivors after Sichuan
earthquakes, and fewer concerns on their HRQOL. And this paper adds the
research and develops a new perspective. I really appreciate four interesting,
important, and obvious points in this paper.
1) This study mainly concerns HRQOL of female survivors after Sichuan
earthquakes. It compares data on male survivors in the first survey and double
tracking data. Results in this study provide guide to improve health equity among
survivors.
2) This study uses 12-item short form health survey (SF-12) to measure HRQOL.
As I have known, few domestic studies in China uses such health scale to
measuring, especially that the SF-12 scale has been tested its reliability and
validity in a large amount of population. These are helpful and fresh attempts.
3) Results in this study raise practical significance. Health is a fundamental
human right. HRQOL is closely related to human’s living and development.
Assessing HRQOL of survivor after Sichuan earthquakes correctly and validly
can be helpful to provide guidelines to improve HRQOL of survivors.
4) This study develops a special perspective. Female are usually considered to
be vulnerable, and their health disparity with males have been confirmed by
many studies. And, for survivors after Sichuan earthquakes, will such gender
disparity be greater? This study may produce an answer for reference.
In general, this study is advantaged at its topic, method, and researching
perspective. BMC Women’s Health focuses on women’s health, and promotes
health equity in populations. Sichuan has a large population, and people living
there have suffered a lot in their lives and work. This study assesses HRQOL of
female survivors, fitting well with the aims of BMC Women’s Health. I think highly
of this manuscript, although there are a few little questions to be reconsidered.
After that, I think this paper will reach the requirements of publications in BMC
Women’s Health. I recommend “discretionary revisions”.
Comments for the manuscript:
1) Reconsider the title of this manuscript. My suggestion of “Is the
post-earthquake health-related quality of life of female survivors poorer than
males in Sichuan, China? A comparative study of data on male survivors in the
first survey and double tracking survey data” may be more significant and
wonderful for this paper.
2) The first and second paragraph in the introduction may be too long. Using
numbers or conjunctions (i.e. firstly, secondly…) may help to make descriptions
clearer.
3) In part 2.2, the authors should consider to add another description: what
dimensions does physical component summary (PCS) include? What dimensions
does mental component summary (MCS) include?
Level of interest: An article of outstanding merit and interest in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.