Validation of a Norwegian version of the Burn Specific Health Scale.
BACKGROUND
The abbreviated Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-A) is an 80-item questionnaire that has proven useful in measuring physical, mental, social and general health in burn survivors. The aim of this study was to adapt the BSHS-A into Norwegian, including assessing reliability and validity.


METHODS
Standard procedures for forward and backward translation including discussions with professionals and patients to ensure conceptual equivalence were used. A pilot study (11 burn patients) confirmed that the Norwegian version (BSHS-N) was clear, understandable and easy to self-administer. Subsequently, 95 adults admitted to the Burn Center, Haukeland University Hospital, between 1995 and 2000 entered a validation study by completing the BSHS-N and the general health measure SF-36. Sixty-nine of the 95 (72%) responders completed a retest.


RESULTS
The overall internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.97) and the test-retest reliability (ICC=0.95) for the BSHS-N were satisfactory. Tests for criterion validity showed expected patterns for association between comparable domains in the BSHS-N and the SF-36, with correlations ranging from r=0.61 to 0.81. Tests for construct validity showed that patients with full thickness injury (P=0.003), patients hospitalised more than 10 days (P=0.003), patients undergoing more than two operations (P=0.001) and patients unemployed at the time of study (P<0.001), had significantly lower total scores than the rest of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
BSHS-N seems to be a reliable and valid instrument for use in the Norwegian population. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of this instrument allows for comparative international studies.
Moi
A Litleré
AL
Department of Plastic Surgery and Burn Center, Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021, Bergen, Norway. asgjerd.moi@helse-bergen.no
Wentzel-Larsen
T
T
Salemark
L
L
Hanestad
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014478:Unemployment