Viera J1, Duarte N1,2, Cavalheiro L3,4, Ferreira PL4,5, Gonçalves RS4,6
1Lisbon Holy House of Mercy, Alcoitão School of Health Sciences, Lisboa, Portugal, 2Francisco Gentil Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Lisboa, Portugal, 3Polytechnique Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School, Coimbra, Portugal, 4University of Coimbra, Centre for Health Studies and Research, Coimbra, Portugal, 5University of Coimbra, Faculty of Economics, Coimbra, Portugal, 6Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School, Coimbra, Portugal
Background: The Lymphoedema Quality of Life (LYMQoL) is a reliable and valid disease-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure that has been developed to evaluate the impact of upper and lower limb lymphoedema on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Persons with upper limb lymphoedema are assessed with the LYMQoL Arm and persons with lower limb lymphoedema are assessed with the LYMQoL Leg.
Purpose: To translate and culturally adapt the official versions of LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg to the European Portuguese language, and to test their content validity.
Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation was conducted according to the sequential methodology. The Portuguese versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were developed through translations, back-translations, consensus expert panels, clinical review and cognitive debriefing (pre-test). The cognitive debriefing was conducted on a sample of 24 persons with lymphoedema (12 with upper limb lymphoedema and 12 with lower limb lymphoedema) to confirm if all items of the questionnaires were well accepted and understandable.
Results: The original English versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were translated into Portuguese independently by two Portuguese native translators. The obtained translations were discussed in a first consensus expert panel to achieve the first preliminary versions. Those consensus versions were translated back to English by another translator (one English native translator) without prior knowledge of the original version. The translations and back translations were discussed in a second consensus expert panel to achieve the second preliminary versions. Those consensus version was submitted to a clinical review performed by a physical therapist and a physician, both with experience in the area of lymphedema. No major issues were identified by the clinical reviewers concerning more technical parts of the questionnaires. The revised version was administered in the pre-test. The mean time for completion was 4.42±0.9 minutes for the LYMQOL Arm and 4.67±1.72 minutes for the LYMQOL Leg. Overall both questionnaires were well accepted and all the questions and response options were considered simple and easily understood by the participants in the pre-test. No item was left blank.
Conclusion(s): The LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were successfully translated and culturally adapted to the Portuguese language. The final Portuguese versions evidenced suitable semantic equivalence and content validity for persons with upper and lower limb lymphoedema.
Implications: The Portuguese versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg will be indexed in a repository of Portuguese validated PRO measures (RIMAS http://rimas.uc.pt/) and will be available for use by physiotherapists and other health professionals.
Keywords: lymphoedema, health-related quality of life, cross-cultural adaptation
Funding acknowledgements: The work was unfunded.
Purpose: To translate and culturally adapt the official versions of LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg to the European Portuguese language, and to test their content validity.
Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation was conducted according to the sequential methodology. The Portuguese versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were developed through translations, back-translations, consensus expert panels, clinical review and cognitive debriefing (pre-test). The cognitive debriefing was conducted on a sample of 24 persons with lymphoedema (12 with upper limb lymphoedema and 12 with lower limb lymphoedema) to confirm if all items of the questionnaires were well accepted and understandable.
Results: The original English versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were translated into Portuguese independently by two Portuguese native translators. The obtained translations were discussed in a first consensus expert panel to achieve the first preliminary versions. Those consensus versions were translated back to English by another translator (one English native translator) without prior knowledge of the original version. The translations and back translations were discussed in a second consensus expert panel to achieve the second preliminary versions. Those consensus version was submitted to a clinical review performed by a physical therapist and a physician, both with experience in the area of lymphedema. No major issues were identified by the clinical reviewers concerning more technical parts of the questionnaires. The revised version was administered in the pre-test. The mean time for completion was 4.42±0.9 minutes for the LYMQOL Arm and 4.67±1.72 minutes for the LYMQOL Leg. Overall both questionnaires were well accepted and all the questions and response options were considered simple and easily understood by the participants in the pre-test. No item was left blank.
Conclusion(s): The LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg were successfully translated and culturally adapted to the Portuguese language. The final Portuguese versions evidenced suitable semantic equivalence and content validity for persons with upper and lower limb lymphoedema.
Implications: The Portuguese versions of the LYMQOL Arm and LYMQoL Leg will be indexed in a repository of Portuguese validated PRO measures (RIMAS http://rimas.uc.pt/) and will be available for use by physiotherapists and other health professionals.
Keywords: lymphoedema, health-related quality of life, cross-cultural adaptation
Funding acknowledgements: The work was unfunded.
Topic: Outcome measurement; Oncology, HIV & palliative care
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Francisco Gentil Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Lisbon, Portugal.
Ethics committee: Ethics Committee of the Francisco Gentil Portuguese Institute of Oncology
Ethics number: CE UIC/1187
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
