Article Text
Abstract
Objective There is a paucity of international data regarding self-reported lower extremity lymphedema and quality of life after surgery for gynecological cancer. Validated questionnaires are emerging, but translated versions are lacking. Cross-cultural adaptation is important to reduce the risk of introducing bias into a study.
Objective To translate and culturally adapt the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire for a Norwegian population.
Methods Permission to use the original English versions of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire for translation was obtained. The questionnaires were translated using a procedure based on standard guidelines, including forward translation by native speakers of the target language, synthesis, back translation, and review. Seventeen patients from the Norwegian Radium Hospital gynecological cancer outpatient clinic, all expected to have stable disease, were invited for questionnaire test–retest by completing the same questionnaires twice at 3–4-week intervals. Internal consistency was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha. Test–retest reliability was assessed using an intra-class correlation coefficient.
Results Twelve patients completed the questionnaires twice. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.75 for the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and 0.89 for the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire. The intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.86 for the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and 0.91 for the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire.
Conclusions Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of these internationally validated patient-reported outcomes questionnaires for survivors of lower extremity lymphedema in gynecological cancer was feasible. The Norwegian translation of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire showed acceptable internal consistency and the test–retest reliability was excellent.
- quality of life (PRO)/palliative care
- lymph nodes
- lymphatic system
- postoperative care
- gynecologic surgical procedures
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Data for the participants in the pilot test are available upon reasonable request.
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- quality of life (PRO)/palliative care
- lymph nodes
- lymphatic system
- postoperative care
- gynecologic surgical procedures
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Data for the participants in the pilot test are available upon reasonable request.
Footnotes
Twitter @BjerreTrent, @agz_eriksson
Contributors PBT: conception, data acquisition, data management, statistical analysis, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. RSF: statistical analysis, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. ACS: supervision, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. DJ: critical analysis, drafting/final editing. AGE: conception, critical analysis, drafting/final editing, supervision, guarantor.
Funding This study was funded by Oslo University Hospital.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.