Translation and Validation of the Brazilian Version of the European Obesity Academy Questionnaire on Patients' Motivations for Seeking Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Abstract

Understanding patients' motives for undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is key to managing postoperative expectations. We aimed to translate and validate the 14-item European Obesity Academy Questionnaire on Expectations about Surgical Treatment (EOAQ-EST) to Brazilian Portuguese for research and clinical use. This study included a total of 198 candidates for MBS at a reference academic hospital in Brazil from January 2021 to February 2022. We followed Beaton and Bombardier's guidelines for translation and cultural adaptation, including translation, back-translation, comparative analysis, expert review, pilot testing, and the creation of the final version of the questionnaire. Reliability was tested with McDonald's omega, and internal validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The final version was applied to 161 patients, 85% female, with a mean age of 46.4 ± 10.3years and a mean BMI of 48.3 ± 8.2kg/m2. Validity was supported by a bifactorial model (95% CI 0.044-0.104, p = 0.08), excluding one item (improved fertility) due to a floor effect. The reliability analysis showed that the 13 remaining items were internally consistent, with a McDonald's ω of 0.625. The Brazilian-Portuguese version of EOAQ-EST proved to be user-friendly, consistent, and reliable. This questionnaire may assist multidisciplinary teams in effectively addressing patients' expectations concerning metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) outcomes.