Reliability and Validity of Ethiopian Amharic Version of the PedsQL^TM 4.0 Generic Core Scales and PedsQL^TM 3.0 Diabetes Module

Abstract

Background

The PedsQL^TM 4.0 generic core scales (GCS) assess the generic health by integrating with disease-specific PedsQL^TM 3.0 diabetes module (DM). The PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM measures the health-related quality of life (HrQoL) specific to diabetes. Even though there is no translation to Ethiopian Amharic, the instruments had translated to different languages and validated. The study is aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Amharic version of the PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS and the PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM in children and adolescents with diabetes.

Methods

PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS and the PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM were administered on 193 children and adolescents with diabetes and their parents. The validity was examined by the exploratory factor analysis, multitrait/multi-item scaling analysis, and multitrait-multimethod and monotrait-multimethod analysis. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient checked the reliability.

Results

Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS (α child self-report= 0.96; α parent proxy report= 0.95) and for total PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM (α child self-report= 0.96; α parent proxy report=0.93) were acceptable at individual patient-level analysis. The monotrait-multimethod correlations were higher than multitrait-multimethod correlations. In multitrait/multi-item scale analysis, both total PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS and PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM had an excellent item convergent and discriminatory validity success rate.

Conclusion

The Amharic versions of the PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS and the PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM were valid and reliable instruments to measure the HrQoL of children and adolescents with diabetes.

Keywords:

• quality of life
• PedsQL™3.0 DM
• PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS
• validation
• reliability

Abbreviation

PedsQL^TM 4.0 GCS, Pediatrics Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 Generic Core Scale; HrQoL, Health-Related Quality of Life; PedsQL^TM 3.0 DM, Pediatrics Quality of Life Inventory version 3.0 Diabetes module; T1DM, Type 1 Diabetes.

Data Sharing Statement

When the ethics statement was obtained from the Addis Ababa Health Bureau, we have agreed and signed not to publish the raw data retrieved from the patients. However, the datasets collected and analyzed for the current study are available from the corresponding author and can be obtained at a reasonable request.

Ethical Considerations

Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethical review committee of the college of health science at Mizan Tepi University. An official letter of cooperation was written to the Addis Ababa health bureau and each health institution. After explaining the purpose of the study, Written informed assents and consents were obtained by minors aged ≥12 years and parents, respectively. Participants were also informed that participation was voluntary and that they can withdraw at any time if they are not comfortable with the questionnaire. Personal identifiers were not included in the written questionnaires to ensure participants’ confidentiality. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Acknowledgments

We would like to pass our gratitude to the Mizan Tepi University for the approval of ethical clearance and technical support. Our heartfelt goes to Dr. Varni for his permission to translate the PedsQL™ to Ethiopian Amharic. Our thank goes to Iliana Petkova and Magdalena Heluszka from Mapi Research Trust Institute; they help us as a ladder for communication and announcing all decision has passed by the author, and for their contribution in sending all needed documents. Finally, we thank you to our data collector and participants for their cooperative and time.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting, or revising the article, have agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.