title: An outcome measure of functionality and quality of life in patients with cervical myelopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common cause of significant clinical morbidity. The Japanese Orthopedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ) is a measure of health-related quality of life in these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to cross-culturally translate and validate the JOACMEQ in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a prospective clinical validation one. Forward-backward procedure was applied to translate the questionnaire from English into Persian. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation were performed in accordance with the published guidelines. A sample of patients with CSM was asked to respond to the questionnaire at two times: providing preoperative and postoperative assessments (6 months follow-up). To test the reliability, the internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach α coefficient and the validity was assessed by convergent validity. Responsiveness to change was also assessed comparing patients' preoperative and postoperative scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 87 patients completed the questionnaire. The Cronbach α coefficient for the JOACMEQ at preoperative and postoperative assessments ranged from 0.71 to 0.82 indicating a good internal consistency for the questionnaire. In addition, the correlation of each item with its hypothesized subscale of the JOACMEQ showed satisfactory results suggesting that the items had a substantial association with their own subscales. Further analysis also indicated that the questionnaire was responsive to change (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, the findings suggest that the Persian version of the JOACMEQ is a reliable and valid measure of functionality and quality of life evaluation among Iranian patients suffered from CSM.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Parisa
authors: P
authors: Azimi
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Omidvar
authors: O
authors: Rezaei
authors: Mental Health Research Group, Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, The Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Montazeri
keywords: Iran; Spinal Cord Diseases; Validation Studies as Topic