[Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory for use in the Spanish population].
OBJECTIVE
To perform the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) for the Spanish population.


METHODS
Seventy-seven patients diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and 154 subjects without the syndrome, matched by sex and age, were included in this cross-sectional study. A translation, back-translation and a cross-cultural adaptation of the original questionnaire were performed. Subsequently, the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the median score by scale between the subjects previously diagnosed and undiagnosed. Internal consistency by scale was analyzed (Cronbach's α).


RESULTS
Significant higher median score was found in subjects previously diagnosed on 4 out of 5 scales (P<.001). Good internal consistency was found in these 4 scales. Previously diagnosed subjects presented lower median scores on the Masking Index scale (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Except for the Masking Index, the scales present strong potential for detecting cases of MCS among symptomatic subjects.
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Epidemiología, Centro de Investigación en Salud Internacional de Barcelona (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Guillermo
G
Mena
Victor-Guillermo
VG
Sequera
Santiago
S
Nogué-Xarau
José
J
Ríos
Maria Jesús
MJ
Bertran
Antoni
A
Trilla
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018777:Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating