title: Validation of a quality of life questionnaire in the Pacific Island.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To adapt an existing validated quality of life instrument, the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) questionnaire for Pacific Island countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following in-depth interviews (n = 24) and a pilot study (n = 67), the original 32-item IVI questionnaire was translated and adapted in Vanuatu. The Melanesian IVI (IVI_M) was administered to participants not previously involved in the pilot study (n = 189).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants included 117 (62%) with mild, moderate or severe vision impairment, 39 with unilateral loss and 33 with normal vision. Eighty-six percent of the original 32-items were deemed relevant by 90% of participants. Items displaying floor effects were removed (4), 2 were combined and 3 items rephrased to reflect Melanesian-specific activities, resulting in a 23-item IVI_M. Nineteen items were relevant to both the Melanesian and Australian contexts including all 8 items related to the emotional reaction to vision loss. IVI_M demonstrated content and construct validity, reliability and discriminated visually healthy populations from those with vision impairment. Vision impairment of < 6/18 negatively effected quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the adaptation process demonstrated the need for culturally relevant instruments, it also highlighted the value of adapting existing validated instrument for use in cross-cultural research rather than developing a new instrument from first principles.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Bronwyn C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Scarr
authors.forename: Ecosse L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lamoureux
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Le Mesurier
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Keeffe
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009514:Vanuatu / Q000453:epidemiology; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult