Cultural and linguistic adaptation and validation of the Function and Life Impact scales of the HAND-Q instrument for the Portuguese population

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical conditions affecting the hands are common and can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are considered the preferred method of assessing the results achieved from the patient's perspective. However, most of them have psychometric limitations. The HAND-Q is a new instrument built using a modern methodology that makes it possible to collect information on hand appearance, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), care experience and treatment from the perspective of patients with any type of congenital or acquired condition affecting the hands.

Aim: The aim of this study was to translate, linguistically and culturally adapt and psychometrically validate the Function and Life Impact scales of the HAND-Q instrument, from the original in English, for the Portuguese population, guaranteeing their validity and reliability so that they can be used in clinical practice.

Methods: The cultural and linguistic adaptation process will be carried out in two phases: Semantic equivalence, consisting of translation and retroversion; Content validation through a cognitive pre-test, using a sample of 5 to 15 patients with clinical hand conditions and clinical review of the quality of the translation by a panel of 5 to 7 experts.

The pilot validation process will be carried out using a convenience sample of 30 participants with clinical conditions of the hand in the Adult Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation services of the ULS São José. Data collection will involve assessing grip strength (Activ5) and pain perception (VAS) and applying a set of questionnaires (Portuguese versions of the MMSE, the Function and Life Impact scales, the DASH and the EQ-5D) and a form on sociodemographic and clinical data.

Results: We hope to obtain a consensus translation, adapted to the Portuguese population, which meets the expectations of professionals in the field and is clear to patients. It is also hoped that the translated scales will preliminarily have the validity and reliability to make them viable for use in clinical practice.