Validation of the spanish version of the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life (Musiqol) questionnaire.
BACKGROUND
The Multiple Sclerosis International Quality Of Life (MusiQoL) questionnaire, a 31-item, multidimensional, self-administrated questionnaire that is available in 14 languages including Spanish, has been validated using a large international sample. We investigated the validity and reliability of the Spanish version of MusiQoL in Spain.


METHODS
Consecutive patients with different types and severities of multiple sclerosis (MS) were recruited from 22 centres across Spain. All patients completed the MusiQoL questionnaire, the 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) health survey, and a symptoms checklist at baseline and 21 days later. External validity, internal consistency, reliability and reproducibility were tested.


RESULTS
A total of 224 Spanish patients were evaluated. Dimensions of MusiQoL generally demonstrated a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.70-0.92 for all but two MusiQoL domain scores). External validity testing revealed that the MusiQoL index score correlated significantly with all SF-36 dimension scores (Pearson's correlation: 0.46-0.76), reproducibility was satisfactory (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.60-0.91), acceptability was high, and the time taken to complete the 31-item questionnaire was reasonable (mean [standard deviation]: 9.8 [11.8] minutes).


CONCLUSIONS
The Spanish version of the MusiQoL questionnaire appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring quality of life in patients with MS in Spain and constitutes a useful instrument to measure health-related quality of life in the clinical setting.
Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Service of Neurology, Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya, Avda, Carlos Haya s/n, 29010 Málaga, Spain. med001832@saludalia.com
Oscar
O
Fernández
Victoria
V
Fernández
Karine
K
Baumstarck-Barrau
Luis
L
Muñoz
Maria del Mar
Mdel M
Gonzalez Alvarez
José Carlos
JC
Arrabal
Antonio
A
León
Ana
A
Alonso
Jose Carlos
JC
López-Madrona
Rafael
R
Bustamante
Gloria
G
Luque
Miguel
M
Guerrero
Elisabetta Verdun
EV
di Cantogno
Pascal
P
Auquier
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires