Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Questionnaire for Pruritus Assessment for use in the French Canadian burn survivor population

Abstract

Background Severe pruritus after burn continues to be a clinical challenge. To address this challenge, thorough documentation of burn survivors’ itch experience is required. A “Questionnaire for Pruritus Assessment” has been developed to capture the sensory and affective experiences associated with itch as well as its functional and quality of life implications, but to evaluate the Quebec burn survivor population, a Canadian French version is required. Thus, the purpose of this study was to generate a Canadian French cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire suitable for the burn survivor population. Methods Cross-cultural adaptation followed six steps: forward translation into Canadian French, back translations into English, resolution between the two versions, synthesis of the Canadian French versions, revision by a committee of experts, and testing of the pre-final version. Results The adaptation process resolved issues surrounding translation, content validity, burn survivor-specific modifications, and format, resulting in a Canadian French pre-final version that was pilot-tested among 32 burn survivors. Content validity of the Canadian French version was assessed by a committee of experts and the participants. The results showed good item completion and adequate distribution of scores without a ceiling or floor effect. Conclusions This study resulted in a Canadian French version of the “Questionnaire for Pruritus Assessment” that can confidently be compared to other investigations utilizing the same tool. The adapted questionnaire also provides a valuable data collection means, enabling more thorough documentation of the burn survivor itch experience.