title: Translation and cultural adaptation of the Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese language.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of patient-reported outcome questionnaires is recommended in orthopedic studies. However, validated tools are necessary to ensure the comparability of results across different studies, centers, and countries. The Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (BMHQ) can be used for outcome measures in self-evaluation after carpal tunnel release. This study aimed to translate the BMHQ to Portuguese to permit cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilians patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We translated the Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire from the original version (English) to Brazilian Portuguese. The translation and cultural adaptation of the content of this tool consisted of six stages, according to the methodology proposed by medical literature: (1) initial translation of the questionnaire by two independent translators; (2) synthesis of translations and reconciliation; (3) back-translation to English of the reconciled version; (4) verification of the cultural equivalence process by an expert committee; (5) pre-testing in a sample of patients to verify understanding of the items; and (6) development of a final version of the BMHQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre-final version of the tool was applied to 43 patients to verify its understanding. Pre-testing showed that the questions and options were satisfactorily understood. The number of items from the original English version was maintained in the Brazilian Portuguese version of BMHQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Brazilian Portuguese version of the BMHQ is easily understood by patients and will be useful to clinicians and researchers.
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Raduan
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: Lia Miyamoto
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Meirelles
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina Nascimento Mastrocinque
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: João Baptista Gomes
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa 1065, cj 68/69, São Paulo, SP CEP 04038-032 Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faloppa
keywords: Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire; Cultural adaptation; Portuguese; Translation