Linguistic and psychometric validation of the Malaysian version of Diabetes Quality of Life-Brief Clinical Inventory (DQoL-BCI).
Quality of life (QoL) assessment provides valuable outcome to support clinical decision-making, particularly for patients with chronic diseases that are incurable. A brief, 15-item diabetes-specific tool [i.e. Diabetes Quality of Life-Brief Clinical Inventory (DQoL-BCI)] is known to be developed in English and validated for use in clinical practice. This simplified tool, however, is not readily available for use in the Malaysian setting.



To translate the DQoL-BCI into a Malaysian version and to assess its construct validity (factorial validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity), reliability (internal consistency) and floor and ceiling effects among the Malaysian diabetic population.



A forward-backward translation, involving professional translators and experts with vast experience in translation of patient reported outcome measures, was conducted. A total of 202 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were invited to complete the translated DQoL-BCI. Data were analysed using SPSS for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), convergent and discriminant validity, reliability and test-retest, and AMOS software for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).



Findings from EFA indicated that the 4-factor structure of the Malaysian version of DQoL-BCI was optimal and explained 50.9% of the variance; CFA confirmed the 4-factor model fit. There was negative, moderate correlation between the scores of DQoL-BCI (Malaysian version) and EQ-5D-3L utility score (r = -0.329, p = 0.003). Patients with higher glycated haemoglobin levels (p = 0.008), diabetes macrovascular (p = 0.017) and microvascular (p = 0.013) complications reported poorer QoL. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass coefficient correlations (range) obtained were 0.703 and 0.86 (0.734-0.934), indicating good reliability and stability of the translated DQoL-BCI.



This study had validated the linguistic and psychometric properties of DQoL-BCI (Malaysian version), thus providing a valid and reliable brief tool for assessing the QoL of Malaysian T2DM patients.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 42300, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, UiTM, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Syamimi
S
Samah
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 42300, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, UiTM, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Electronic address: neohchinfen@puncakalam.uitm.edu.my.
Chin Fen
CF
Neoh
Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM, Bertam Campus, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
Yuet Yen
YY
Wong
Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
Mohamed Azmi
MA
Hassali
Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
Asrul Akmal
AA
Shafie
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 42300, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, UiTM, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Siong Meng
SM
Lim
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 42300, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, UiTM, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Kalavathy
K
Ramasamy
Primary Care Medicine Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, UiTM, Selayang Campus, 68100, Batu Caves, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Nafiza
N
Mat Nasir
Primary Care Medicine Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, UiTM, Selayang Campus, 68100, Batu Caves, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Yung Wen
YW
Han
Center for Health Outcomes Research (SLUCOR), Saint Louis University, One North Grand, St. Louis, United States.
Thomas
T
Burroughs
D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Malaysian; Quality of life; Reliability; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Validity