Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2003 | Review

The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: Update and compilation of international versions

Authors: Lothar AJ Heinemann, Farid Saad, Thomas Zimmermann, Annoesjka Novak, Eric Myon, Xavier Badia, Peter Potthoff, Guy T'Sjoen, Pasi Pöllänen, Nikolai P Goncharow, Sehyun Kim, Christelle Giroudet

Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes | Issue 1/2003

Abstract

Background

The interest of clinical research in aging males increased in recent years and thereby the interest to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of aging men. The Aging Males' Symptoms scale (AMS) became the most commonly used scale to measure HRQoL and symptoms in aging males in many countries worldwide. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the instrument particularly concerning versions of the scale in different languages in the light of the quality of the translation process.

AMS versions available

Most of the translations were performed following international methodological recommendations for linguistic & cultural adaptation of HRQoL instruments. Mainly the English version was used as source language for the translation into Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, and Japanese (attached as additional PDF-files). Preliminary versions that were derived only from forward translations are of secondary quality and available in Finnish, Flemish, and Russian. It is recommended to complete the translation process for the latter languages before using them in international studies.

Translations in process

The AMS scale is in the process of consensus finding of two existing French versions, and the versions in the Korean, Thai, and Indonesian languages have not yet been completed in the translation process.

Conclusion

The AMS scale is obviously a valuable tool for assessing health related quality of life in aging men, because it is used worldwide. It is a standardized scale according to psychometric norms. Most of the currently available language versions were translated following international standards for linguistic and cultural translation of quality of life scales. Assistance is offered to help interested parties in the translation process.

Available only for authorised users

Heinemann LAJ, Zimmermann T, Vermeulen A, Thiel C: A New 'Aging Male's Symptoms' (AMS) Rating Scale. The Aging Male 1999, 2: 105–114.CrossRef

Heinemann LAJ, Thiel Ch, Assmann A, Zimmermann T, Hummel W, Vermeulen A: Sex differences of „climacteric symptoms" with increasing age? A pooled analysis of cross-sectional population-based surveys. The Aging Male 2000, 3: 124–131.PubMedCrossRef

Badia X, Herdman M: The importance of health-related quality-of-life data in determining the value of drug therapy. Clin Ther 2001,23(1):168–75. 10.1016/S0149-2918(01)80039-4PubMedCrossRef

Heinemann LAJ, Saad F, Thiele K, Wood-Dauphinee S: The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) rating scale. Cultural and linguistic validation into English. The Aging Male 2001, 3: 14–22.CrossRef

Heinemann LAJ, Saad F, Pöllänen P: Measurement of Quality of Life Specific for Aging Males. In: Hormone Replacement Therapy and Quality of Life. Parthenon Publishing Group. (Edited by: Schneider HPG). London, New York, Washington 2002, 63–83.

Herdman M, Fox-Rushby J, Badia X: A model of equivalence in the cultural adaptation of HRQOL instruments: the universalist approach. Qual Life Res 1998, 7: 323–35. 10.1023/A:1008846618880PubMedCrossRef

Anonymous: Trust introduces new translation criteria. Medical Outcomes Trust Bulletin 1997, 5: 2–4.

Aaronson NK, Acquadro C, Alonso J, et al.: International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) project. Quality of Life Research 1992, 1: 349–351.PubMedCrossRef

Acquadro C, Jambon B, Ellis D, Marquis P: Languages and translation issues. Quality of Life and Pharmaco-Econonomics in Clinical Trials 2 Edition (Edited by: Spilker B). 1996, 575–585.

10.

Brislin RW.: Backtranslation for Cross-Cultural Research. J Cross-Cultural Psychology 1970,1(3):185–216.CrossRef

11.

Brislin RW: Questionnaire Working and Translation. In: Cultural Research Methods (Edited by: Lonner WJ, Thorndike RM). John Wiley, New York 1973, 32–58.

12.

Brislin RW: The Working and Translation of Research Instruments. In: Field Methods in Cross-Cultural Research (Edited by: Lonner WJ, Berry JW). Sage Publications, Beverly Hills 1968, 137–164.

Title: The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: Update and compilation of international versions
Authors: Lothar AJ Heinemann
Farid Saad
Thomas Zimmermann
Annoesjka Novak
Eric Myon
Xavier Badia
Peter Potthoff
Guy T'Sjoen
Pasi Pöllänen
Nikolai P Goncharow
Sehyun Kim
Christelle Giroudet
Publication date: 01-12-2003
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes / Issue 1/2003
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7525
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-1-15

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: Update and compilation of international versions

Abstract

Background

AMS versions available

Translations in process

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

AMS versions available

Translations in process

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2003

Quality of Life measures for dementia

Do English and Chinese EQ-5D versions demonstrate measurement equivalence? an exploratory study

Utilization of the propensity score method: an exploratory comparison of proxy-completed to self-completed responses in the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey

Spanish validation of the "Kidney Transplant Questionnaire": a useful instrument for assessing health related quality of life in kidney transplant patients

The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: review of its methodological characteristics

Evaluation of support groups for women with breast cancer: importance of the navigator role