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Cultural adaptation and validation of the Systemic Sclerosis Quality of Life questionnaire into Arabic language

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Abstract

Background and objectives

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disease affecting all quality of life (QoL) parameters. In addition to clinical assessment, QoL measures should be included in patient assessment. There is no Arabic tool specific for assessing QoL in Arabic SSc patients; therefore, this work was designed to translate the SScQoL questionnaire, culturally adapt and check its reliability and validity.

Method

Based on the principle of translation and cross-cultural adaptation in other language, the SScQoL questionnaire was translated into Arabic. Correlation of SScQoL scores for 50 patients with Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores has been tested for convergent validity and discriminate validity evaluated by stratifying clinical parameters of patients and disease subtypes. The intraclass correlation coffee (ICC) was used to assess reliability by interviewing patients twice 14 days apart.

Results

Correlations were present between SScQoL scores and physical and mental component scores of SF-36 questionnaire. We found strong negative correlation between the physical component of SF-36 and QoL function, QoL emotion, QoL total scores (r = − 0.654**, r = − 0.512**, r = − 0.540**) and moderate negative correlation present between SF-36 mental component and QoL function, QoL emotion, QoL social, and QoL total (r = − 0.314*, r = − 0.486**, r = − 0.357*, r = − 0.433*). Also, significant association (P < 0.05*) between scores of total QoL and visceral involvements (GIT involvement, pericardial effusion, and LVDD) was evident. The Arabic edition of SScQoL has a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78.

Conclusion

The translated Arabic version is a valid and reliable tool to assess Egyptian SSc patients’ QoL.

Key Points

• The SScQoL questionnaire items have a convergent validity with physical and mental component scores of SF-36, and discriminant validity with visceral involvement.

• The Arabic edition of SScQoL is reliable with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all staff members and colleagues in the Rheumatology Department, Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt, for their helpful cooperation and all the study participants for their patience and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Samah M Alian, Nagwa A Sherby & Shymaa A Sarhan

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  1. Samah M Alian
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  2. Nagwa A Sherby
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  3. Shymaa A Sarhan
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Correspondence to Shymaa A Sarhan.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

An official permission was obtained from Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University Hospitals and from the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department. The study has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki 1964) for studies involving humans in research protocol number (3970). A written informed consent was obtained from the participants.

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Alian, S.M., Sherby, N.A. & Sarhan, S.A. Cultural adaptation and validation of the Systemic Sclerosis Quality of Life questionnaire into Arabic language. Clin Rheumatol 40, 1409–1416 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-020-05373-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-020-05373-0

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