title: Reliability and Validity of an Iranian Version of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Patients with Multiple Myeloma: the EORTC QLQ-MY20.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reliable and validated instruments are needed in order to study the quality of life in myeloma patients. This study aimed to translate and explore the psychometric properties of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) myeloma module (QLQ-MY20) in Iranian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifteen patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were recruited from Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran. A standard forward-backward translation procedure was implemented. Participating patients were asked to complete the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-MY20 three times, at study entry, after two weeks, and again after three months. Data were tested for the range of measurement, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, known group comparison, responsiveness and factor structure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the patients was 60.7 years. No floor and ceiling effects were seen for the QLQ-MY20. Cronbach's α was greater than 0.80 for all three multi-item scales (ranging from 0.82 to 0.93). All four scales had test-retest reliability of 0.85 or greater. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis that the hypothesized 3-scale measurement model of the QLQ-MY20. Moreover, the Persian version for the QLQ-MY20 differentiated between subgroups of the patients in terms of beta-2 microglobulin, fracture and performance status. The responsiveness of the QLQ-MY20 to change over time was confirmed within 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the results of our study indicate that our Iranian version of the QLQ-MY20 is a feasible, reliable and valid questionnaire for assessing the condition-specific quality of life of patients with MM.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Cancer, Shafa Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran E-mail : Pakpour_Amir@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmadzadeh
authors.forename: Mir Saeed
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yekaninejad
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saffari
authors.forename: Amir H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pakpour
authors.forename: Neil K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aaronson
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires