title: Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the vitiligo-specific health-related quality of life instrument (VitiQoL) into Brazilian Portuguese.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo, although asymptomatic, highly compromises patients' quality of life (QoL). Therefore, an adequate evaluation of QoL is essential.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Translation, cultural adaptation and validation of VitiQol (Vitiligo-specific health-related quality of life instrument) into Brazilian Portuguese.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in two stages; the first stage was the translation and cultural/linguistic adaptation of the instrument; the second stage was the instrument's validation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The translated VitiQol showed high internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.944) and high test-retest reliability and intraclass correlation coefficient=0.95 (CI 95% 0.86 - 0.98), p<0.001. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of the first completion of the VitiQoL questionnaire and the retest, p = 0.661. There was a significant correlation between VitiQoL and DLQI (r = 0.776, p <0.001) and also between VitiQoL-PB and subjects' assessment of the severity of their disease (r = 0.702, p <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impact of vitiligo on the QoL of Brazilian patients can be assessed by a specific questionnaire.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Catucci
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Boza
authors.affiliation: Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Roopal V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbrin
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giongo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tania Ferreira
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Cestari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001938:Brazil; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014177:Translations; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*