title: Development and Validation of the First Iranian Questionnaire to Assess Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure: IHF-QoL.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In its Constitution of 1948, WHO defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity" . In 1994, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research published clinical practice guidelines recommending providers to routinely evaluate patients' HRQoL (Health Related Quality of Life) and use their assessment to modify and guide patient care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to create a valid, sensitive, disease-specific Persian health status quality of life questionnaire for patients with chronic heart failure in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Considering the existing relevant inventories and scientific literature, the authors designed the first draft of questionnaire which was modified and validated, using expert opinions and finalized in a session of expert panel. The questionnaire was processed among 130 patients with heart failure. Construct validity evaluated by principle component factor analysis, and promax method was used for factor rotation. MacNew quality of life questionnaire was selected to assess convergence validity, and the agreements were measured in 60 patients. Discriminant validity was also assessed. Thirty patients were followed for 3 months and responsiveness of questionnaire was measured. Cronbach's alpha, item analysis, and Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to investigate reliability of questionnaire. SPSS 15 for Windows was applied for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Principle component factor analysis revealed 4 main components. Sub-group analysis suggested that IHF-QoL questionnaire demonstrated an acceptable discriminant validity. High conformity between this inventory and MacNew questionnaire revealed an appropriate convergence validity. Cronbach's alpha (α) for the overall questionnaire was equal to 0.922. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) for all components were significant (from. 708 to. 883; all P values < 0.001). Patients fallow-up revealed an acceptable responsiveness of our questionnaire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IHF-QoL questionnaire is a valid and reliable inventory. It can be applied in daily clinical practice and in the clinical research context.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Electrophysiology Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naderi
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Intervention Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Failure and Transplantation, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Echocardiography Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taghavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Failure and Transplantation, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dadashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Failure and Transplantation, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maleki
keywords: Heart failure; Iran; Quality of life; Validation studies