[Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life questionnaire: English version of Qualiveen abstract].
BACKGROUND
The Qualiveen questionnaire is a urinary disorder-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL) instrument. Developed in French, the instrument's translation into English was the first step of a process leading to an HRQL questionnaire that can be used in a different culture. However, the cultural adaptation of an HRQL questionnaire is achieved only when the psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire are documented.


OBJECTIVE
To develop an equivalent English version of the Qualiveen questionnaire and to assess its discriminative measurement properties.


METHODS
Fifty-five Canadian out-patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) completed a set of questionnaires, including the Qualiveen; the MS Quality Of Life-54 (MSQOL-54), an MS-specific HRQL questionnaire; urinary function assessment; and the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) twice at an interval of 2 to 4 weeks.


RESULTS
The English Qualiveen proved to be test-retest reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.94). Consistent with a priori predictions, we found a strong association between overall Qualiveen score and degree of incontinence (0.63), a moderate association with type of urinary symptoms (0.49), a weak association with manner of voiding (0.28) and weak or absent associations with MSQOL-54, EDSS bladder/bowel and global EDSS domains. Predictions proved to be generally accurate (weighted kappa=0.65).


CONCLUSIONS
The test-retest reliability and cross-sectional construct validity of the English version of Qualiveen are excellent and similar to the original French version. Further studies should explore Qualiveen's longitudinal validity and responsiveness.
Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, hôpital Minjoz, Besançon, France. vbonniaud@hotmail.com
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D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000150:complications*