[Development and validation of a modified quality of life questionnaire for patients treated by antireflux surgery].
BACKGROUND
Past decade witnessed a growing interest in scientific medical publications on health related quality of life (HRQoL), which has yielded an increasing number of generic and disease-specific instruments. To date, several studies have evaluated the impact of GERD on HRQoL.


OBJECTIVE
To develop a QoL questionnaire for patients with GERD underwent laparoscopic fundoplication (LF). This questionnaire was developed to be more comprehensive than existing measures.


METHODS
We undertook a retrospective analysis of 116 patients underwent laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD between 1994 and 2002 in the 1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University. These patients--included 55 men and 61 women, with mean age of 46 years (14-77)--were used in the psychometric evaluation. Our questionnaire was developed using internationally accepted, valid QoL instruments and scales.


RESULTS
Internal-consistency reliability was high (alpha value overall 0.95; dimensions 0.74-0.96). Using convergent and divergent validity, construct validity was evaluated by examining Pearson correlation coefficients between items and scales. Construct validity was demonstrated based on observed correlations. Known-groups validity of questionnaire is proved to.


CONCLUSIONS
Our questionnaire is a short and user-friendly instrument. It has excellent reliability, construct and known-groups validity.
Zéman
Zsolt
Z
Semmelweis Egyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, I. Sebészeti Klinika. zemanzs@freemail.hu
Rózsa
Sándor
S
Tihanyi
Tibor
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004884:Eructation; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D006304:Health Status; D006356:Heartburn / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology