Severe Asthma Questionnaire: translation to Portuguese and cross-cultural adaptation for its use in Portugal

Abstract

Objective: To translate and perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ) so that it can be used as a tool to measure the impact of asthma symptoms on quality of life as well as the impact of asthma treatments in severe asthmatic patients in Portugal. Methods: Based on the principles of good practice for the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of such instruments, the protocol included the following steps: acquisition of authorization from the authors of the original questionnaire; translation of the instrument to Portuguese, carried out by two health professionals; reconciliation; back‐translation to English, carried out by two health professionals who are f luent in Portuguese; review of the back‐translation; harmonization; review and approval of the questionnaire; focus groups involving 12 patients who completed and improved the wording of the questionnaire; analysis of the results; and review and preparation of the f inal version of the instrument approved by the original SAQ team. Results: The f inal version of the SAQ for use in Portugal included minor modif ications suggested by the patients. The mean and standard deviations of the patients age was 50.08 ± 13.43 years and 50% were female. All had some level of education and the majority (58.3%) had a favourable economic background. Conclusions: The SAQ demonstrated to be comprehensible, clear, and appropriate. The original questionnaire and the Vera Clérigo1, Bárbara Cardoso2, Lígia Sofia Fernandes1, Christine Costa3, Otília Garcia4, Elza Tomaz2, Filipe Inácio2 1 Pulmonology Service in Thorax Department – North Lisbon University Hospital Center 2 Immunoallergology Service – Setúbal Hospital Center 3 Pulmonology Service – Leiria Hospital Center 4 Social Health Service – Setúbal Hospital Center R e v P o r t I m u n o a l e r g o l o g i a 2 0 1 9 ; 2 7 ( 3 ) : 2 3 3 2 4 2 Data de receção / Received in: 30/04/2019 Data de aceitação / Accepted for publication in: 07/06/2019 http://doi.org/10.32932/rpia.2019.07.018 234 R E V I S T A P O R T U G U E S A D E I M U N O A L E R G O L O G I A Vera Clérigo, Bárbara Cardoso, Lígia Sofia Fernandes, Christine Costa, Otília Garcia, Elza Tomaz, Filipe Inácio translated version, cross-culturally adapted for use in Portugal, were reliably comparable. Consequently, it can become an extensively used tool for severe asthma patients.