Arabic Patients Research Articles

Translation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Cancer Needs Questionnaire-Short Form

Objective:Care needs among Arabic cancer patients have not been assessed previously due to the lack of translated instrument that can determine the care needs among the cancer patients in Arab countries. The aim of this study was to translate and validate an Arabic version of the Cancer Needs Questionnaire-Short Form (CNQ-SF).Methods:A cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing was used. Brislin's model of translation was used to translate the CNQ-SF from English to Arabic. A cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing was used. A sample of 113 participants with different types of cancer completed the study surveys including the CNQ-SF (Arabic version) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). Descriptive, bivariate statistics and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were performed.Results:Content validity was evaluated by a panel of experts and 20 participants and showed that translated scale was clear, understandable, and logical in order. Reliability analysis of CNQ-SF domains ranged from 0.85 to 0.93 and 0.94 for the total Arabic version of CNQ-SF. Convergent analysis showed a significant relationship between CNQ-SF (Arabic version) and FACT-G. Results of EFA indicated that the CNQ-SF scale has 32-items. It consists of five domains, the results indicated that Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin was 0.851, and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was significant (significant (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The current study indicates that the Arabic version of CNQ-SF is valid, reliable, and applicable. It can be used by researchers, clinical practitioners, and health educators in Arab countries.

Feeling of stigmatization and satisfaction with life among Arabic psoriatic patients

BackgroundSatisfaction and stigmatization are experienced differently in different cultural contests, especially, in patients with dermatological diseases affecting visible body parts. Reports in Arabic countries remain rare and very appealing in a multicultural population. AimsTo evaluate feeling of stigmatization and satisfaction with life in Arabic patients with psoriasis and identify predictors of feeling of stigmatization and satisfaction with life. MethodsIn a cross-sectional study design, Arabic patients with psoriasis completed the 6-item stigmatization scale and the satisfaction with life scale. Univariate and forward stepwise multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify predictors of feeling of stigmatization and satisfaction with life. Covariates included patients' demographics (age, gender and education level), disease-related factors (disease severity, visibility, duration, and impact on quality of life) and patient-related factors (illness acceptance and dermatology self-care education level). ResultsIn total, 199 Arabic psoriatic patients were included in the study. Despite feeling highly stigmatized by their skin disease [mean (95% Confidence Intervals (CI)) of 7.0 (6.3–7.7)], psoriasis patients were generally positive about their overall satisfaction with life (mean (95% CI) of 21.0 (20.0–22.3). Impaired quality of life was the strongest predictor of both higher feeling of stigmatization (β-coefficient 0.39, 95% CI 0.30, 0.47) and less satisfaction with life (−0.36, 95% CI −0.53, −0.20). Higher levels of dermatology self-care education significantly predicted a lower feeling of stigmatization (−0.09, 95% CI −0.16, −0.01). Older patients (0.18, 95% CI 0.05, 0.30) and those with higher illness acceptance levels (0.14, 95% CI 0.03, 0.24) were more satisfied with life. ConclusionsA level of stigmatization was detected in most psoriatic patients including the satisfied ones. Patients with more impaired quality of life experienced higher level of stigmatization and less satisfaction with life. These findings further enforce the multidisciplinary approach in psoriatic patients and highlight the unmet need to include psychologist in the therapeutic algorithm.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Systemic Sclerosis Quality of Life questionnaire into Arabic language.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disease affecting all quality of life (QoL) parameters. In addition to clinical assessment, QoL measures should be included in patient assessment. There is no Arabic tool specific for assessing QoL in Arabic SSc patients; therefore, this work was designed to translate the SScQoL questionnaire, culturally adapt and check its reliability and validity. Based on the principle of translation and cross-cultural adaptation in other language, the SScQoL questionnaire was translated into Arabic. Correlation of SScQoL scores for 50 patients with Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores has been tested for convergent validity and discriminate validity evaluated by stratifying clinical parameters of patients and disease subtypes. The intraclass correlation coffee (ICC) was used to assess reliability by interviewing patients twice 14days apart. Correlations were present between SScQoL scores and physical and mental component scores of SF-36 questionnaire. We found strong negative correlation between the physical component of SF-36 and QoL function, QoL emotion, QoL total scores (r = - 0.654**, r = - 0.512**, r = - 0.540**) and moderate negative correlation present between SF-36 mental component and QoL function, QoL emotion, QoL social, and QoL total (r = - 0.314*, r = - 0.486**, r = - 0.357*, r = - 0.433*). Also, significant association (P < 0.05*) between scores of total QoL and visceral involvements (GIT involvement, pericardial effusion, and LVDD) was evident. The Arabic edition of SScQoL has a Cronbach's alpha of 0.78. The translated Arabic version is a valid and reliable tool to assess Egyptian SSc patients' QoL. Key Points • The SScQoL questionnaire items have a convergent validity with physical and mental component scores of SF-36, and discriminant validity with visceral involvement. • The Arabic edition of SScQoL is reliable with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.78.

Arabic adaptation and validation of the revised amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R): Egyptian study

Introduction ALSFRS-R is 12-item scale used to assess disability and to measure disease progression in ALS patients. The objective is to validate the Arabic version of ALSFRS-R based on the original English version. Methods and patients: This is a cross sectional study. ALSFRS-R was administered to 162 Egyptian patients with ALS after being translated in Arabic, and reapplied after 1 week. Patients were recruited from 2 centers: Neuromuscular unit, Ain Shams University hospitals and the specialized ALS clinic which is located at the international medical center (IMC). Results: No significant differences were found between the application and reapplication of the scale (p = 0.5). The linear regression and internal consistency that were measured by Pearson correlation and alpha Conbrach respectively were significant. Discussion: The Arabic version of the ALSFRS-R proposed by the current was proven to be reproducible and valid among Egyptian ALS patients. Thus, it will provide a useful tool for professionals to evaluate Arabic speaking patients in clinical practice and research.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Reliability of the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) for Arabic Speaking Patients with Type II Diabetes.

BackgroundTreatment satisfaction is an important indicator for treatment compliance and glycemic control. Although psychometric properties of the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire have been confirmed in several languages, it remains unclear the extent to which the factorial structure of this tool is valid for Arabic speaking populations.PurposeThis study set out to confirm the construct validity of the Arabic version of the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) by investigating the fit of published factor structures and the reliability of responses in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.MethodsData were from a large cross-sectional study of 1002 patients with diabetes in Jordan. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare three different models of the 8-item questionnaire (one factor, two factors, three factors) across patients treated with insulin and patients treated with oral hypoglycaemic medications.ResultsStatistics covered the factorial validity and omega reliability coefficient (Ωw) of the DTSQ. We were able to replicate the three different models of the 8-item Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire reported in previous studies, yet a two-factor model provided the best fit to the data in our sample with omega reliability coefficient (Ωw) of the subscales above 0.70.ConclusionThe finding suggests a cross-cultural invariance of the factor structure of the Arabic version of the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire, as we were able to replicate the same factor structure using the Arabic translated version of the tool and using non-English speaking participants. Within known limitations and gaps in the literature, healthcare professionals working with Arabic speaking patients may find this tool useful for identification of high-risk patients and those in need for interventions to promote glycemic control.

Patient-Reported Disease Severity and Quality of Life Among Arabic Psoriatic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

PurposePatient-reported measures are of importance in chronic dermatological conditions where psychosocial consequences and quality of life impairment are common. The current study aimed to evaluate patient-reported disease severity and quality of life in Arabic patients with psoriasis.Patients and MethodsArabic psoriatic patients were invited to complete an online survey that collected patients’ demographics, self-assessed Simplified Psoriasis Index (saSPI) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Disease severity and quality of life were compared in relation to patients’ demographics. Correlation between patient-reported measures was calculated using Spearman’s rank correlation test.ResultsA total of 221 patients with psoriasis, from 12 Arabic-speaking countries, participated in the study. The mean (95% CIs) saSPI-severity score was 10.9 (9.6–12.2). Female patients reported higher saSPI-psychosocial impact scores compared to males (P=0.04) while patients with longer disease duration reported higher saSPI-past history and interventions scores (P=0.0001). The mean (95% CIs) DLQI score was 11.2 (10.2–12.1). Patients with severe disease reported significantly higher DLQI scores [18.5 (10.5–2)] (P=0.0001). DLQI was strongly correlated with saSPI-psychosocial impact score (rho= 0.63).ConclusionArabic psoriatic patients participating in this study showed mild to moderate disease severity which had a very large impact on patients’ quality of life. Higher disease severity was associated with more impaired quality of life.

Association of HLA-DRB1 Gene Polymorphism in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Babylon Province, Iraq

Background: The heritability of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is approximately 40% to 65% for seropositive RA and 20% for seronegative RA. The risk of developing RA has been associated with human leukocyte antigen HLA-DRB1 alleles: HLA-DRB1*04, HLA-DRB1*01, and HLA-DRB1*010 in deferent ethnocentrism. These HLA-DRB1 alleles contain a stretch of conserved five amino acid sequence, the shared epitope (SE), in the third hypervariable region of their DRB1 chain, which has been associated with the risk of developing Aim of the study: to study the possible association of HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphism of Arabic ethnocentrism PA patients in Babylon Province, Iraq. Patients and methods: The present case control study was conducted on sixty one patients (18 males and 43 females) of Arabic ethnocentrism RA patients admitted to Rheumatoid Unit in Merjan Teaching Medical City, Babylon Province, Iraq, as well as 127 apparently healthy control subjects (41 males, 86 females) as control group. Results: The risk of HLAD-RB1*01 allele was assessed through calculation of odds ratio (OR) which was estimated to be 1.95 (95 % confidence interval of 1.03 to 3.70). The risk of HLAD-RB1*04 allele was assessed through calculation of odds ratio (OR) which was estimated to be 4.46 (95 % confidence interval of 2.32 to 8.55). The risk of HLAD-RB1*010 allele was assessed through calculation of odds ratio (OR) which was estimated to be 3.12 (95 % confidence interval of 1.39 -7.00). Conclusion: The current study documented that RA is significantly associated with the locus HLA-DRB1* and allelic groups HLA-DRB1*01, HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DRB1*010 in Iraqi patients with RA

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Arabic Version of Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ-Ar).

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) affect millions of people worldwide. Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) is a valid and reliable tool to assess the health of patients with MSD. However, this scale is not available in the Arabic language. The purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) into Arabic (MSK-HQ-Ar) and evaluate its validity and reliability among participants with MSD. Methods: This cross-sectional study used guidelines from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) to translate as well as validate the psychometric properties of MSK-HQ-Ar. Patients with MSD (n = 149) living in Taif participated in the study. Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess internal consistency and test-retest reliability of MSK-HQ-Ar respectively. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the correlation between MSK-HQ-Ar and the European quality of life five-dimension, five-level scale (EQ-5D-5L). Results: Out of 149 participants, 119 completed the MSK-HQ-Ar twice. The scale showed good internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha (0.88), and reliability (ICC 0.92–0.95). A strong association was found with the EQ-5D-5L scores. Conclusion: The adapted MSK-HQ-Arabic version revealed acceptable psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable outcome measure to assess MSK health among Arabic speaking patients with MSD.

Comparing Western symptoms of depression with Arabic idioms of distress: A qualitative study

Psychometric analyses of different rating scales have shown that the construct validity of depression in relation to patients from other cultural backgrounds than Western is unclear. This calls for more knowledge on the qualitative properties of depression in a transcultural context. The aim of the study was to examine how Arabic speaking patients understand and speak about mental distress, while also exploring to what degree they find depressive symptoms as defined in the ICD-10 and selected rating scales meaningful. Six semi-structured interviews with Arabic speaking patients from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq receiving treatment at a Danish treatment centre were conducted. Data was analysed by the use of thematic analysis. Various Arabic terms in relation to a state comparable to depression were obtained, especially in relation to the core depressive symptoms of “low mood”, “low energy” and “loss of interest”. Symptoms regarding guilt and loss of self-confidence were not recognized as a part of a depressive state to the same degree as the other depressive symptoms. Some symptoms, such as somatic complaints, were more accepted to speak openly about than others. It was concluded that the participants in the study generally recognized the depressive symptoms as defined in the ICD-10 and would use comparable Arabic terms to describe mental distress. However, cultural background may influence to what extend depression is accepted to speak about, which should thus be taken into consideration and addressed by mental health professionals. In a clinical setting, this knowledge can be used to include culture specific terms and phrases in the conversations with Arabic speaking patients.

Fatigue and Sleep Disturbance in Arabic Cancer Patients After Completion of Therapy: Prevalence, Correlates, and Association With Quality of Life.

Fatigue and sleep disturbance are 2 of the most common and distressing cancer symptoms that negatively affect quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of, and factors contributing to, fatigue and sleep disturbance in Arabic-speaking cancer patients in Oman after completion of their cancer treatment. A cross-sectional and descriptive correlational design was used. Data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index where a score of >5 indicated as poorer sleep, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue a score of ≤34 indicating clinically significant fatigue, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. Of the 369 patients who participated, 77.5% (n = 286) reported clinically significant fatigue, and 78% (n = 288) reported poor sleep. Fatigue (P < .05) was significantly associated with age, cancer site, months since diagnosis, type of treatment received, and comorbidity. Those experiencing fatigue and poor sleep had the lowest quality of life among the cancer patients studied. Fatigue and sleep disturbance are significant problems for the Arabic patients diagnosed with cancer. Both fatigue and sleep disturbance should be routinely assessed in the case of such patients. Routine assessments of fatigue and sleep disturbance are recommended so that appropriate interventions and treatment management plans can be introduced to reduce fatigue and improve sleep quality among patients with cancer.

A cross-cultural translation and adaptation of the Arabic Cardiac Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for patients with coronary heart disease.

The aim of this study is to cross-culturally translate and adapt the Cardiac Self-Efficacy Questionnaire into Arabic and subsequently evaluate the psychometric properties of that translation in a population of Arabic patients. The original English version of the Cardiac Self-Efficacy Questionnaire was translated into Arabic following a process recommended by the World Health Organization. A convenience sample consisting of 268 Jordanian patients with coronary heart disease was recruited from a university-affiliated hospital in Amman, Jordan. Data were collected from October 2018 to March 2019. The factor structure, face and content validities, and internal consistency of the Arabic Cardiac Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (A-CSEQ) were evaluated. The factor structure analysis supported a three-factor high-order structure of the A-CSEQ. Face validity showed that the language used, style, and format were clear. The content validity demonstrated a very good content validity index. The reliability was good with ranging from 0.89 to 0.93 for all questionnaire subscales. The A-CSEQ is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the cardiac self-efficacy of Arabic patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Further assessment of the psychometric properties of the A-CSEQ with different cardiac problems is now recommended.

Validation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with Arabic cancer patients

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-administrated questionnaire, is a frequently used instrument to assess sleep quality in clinical and non-clinical populations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic PSQI among patients diagnosed with cancer. A cross-sectional and descriptive correlational design was used with 369 patients with cancer completing the 19-item Arabic version of the PSQI. The scale was assessed in terms of acceptability, internal consistency and validity. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the Arabic PSQI was 0.77, demonstrating acceptable reliability. The global PSQI score did not have floor or ceiling effects. The PSQI Arabic version demonstrated good discriminative validity. Construct validity was explored by confirmatory factor analysis to examine the dimensional structure of the PSQI. The confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable fit for refined one-factor model. The results support the original single factor structure of the PSQI. The Arabic version of the PSQI demonstrated adequate reliability and validity for assessing sleep quality in Arabic-speaking patients diagnosed with cancer.

Bournemouth questionnaire Arabic version: Cross-cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability for patients with low back pain.

To translate, culturally adapt, validate, and investigate the reliability of Arabic version of Bournemouth questionnaire (BQ) for patients with low back pain. Thirty experts (three panels) and 70 low back pain patients (37.5 ± 13.9 years) were involved in this study. Test-retest as well as internal consistency analyses were used to assess reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval) was used to assess test-retest analysis, whereas Cronbach alpha value was calculated to assess the internal consistency. BQ Arabic version validity was evaluated in forms of face, content, internal, and external construct validity. Internal construct validity was evaluated with factor analysis, and external construct validity was tested by the correlation between the Arabic version of BQ and short-form (36) health survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Factor analysis revealed that BQ had a single factor. BQ has a very good correlation with SF-36 questionnaire (r = .74). Arabic version of BQ has a high internal consistency reliability where Cronbach alpha value was 0.889 at baseline and 0.911 after 1 week. The test-retest analysis was between 0.87 and 0.96 and for the BQ total score was 0.95 (p < .0001) indicating that test-retest results are highly correlated. The Arabic version of BQ is a valid, reliable, and feasible scale for assessment of low back patients. It is short, easy-to-apply, need short time to complete and comprehensive scale. So it may be considered as a preferable scale for clinical assessment of Arabic speaking patients with low back pain.

Acceptance of illness and need for education to support dermatology self-care in psoriasis patients: a cross-sectional study.

IntroductionAcceptance of illness greatly affects the quality of life of psoriatic patients. Assessment of patients’ need for education and support is very important for patients’ counselling and follow-up.AimTo evaluate acceptance of illness and need for education to support dermatology self-care in Arabic patients with psoriasis.Material and methodsA cross-sectional study using a survey was conducted. The survey collected patients’ demographics, disease characteristics, Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and Person-Centered Dermatology Self-Care Index (PeDeSI). Outcome measures were presented in total and in relation to age, gender, disease duration, disease severity, quality of life and level of education. The correlation between AIS and PeDeSI was examined using Spearman’s rank correlation test.ResultsIn total, 209 psoriatic patients from 12 Arabic countries participated in the survey with mean ± SD age of 35.8 ±10.0 years. The median (IQR) AIS score was 28 (19–35). The median (IQR) of the PeDeSI score was 15 (11–22). Both AIS and PeDeSI did not differ in relation to age, gender, disease duration, and level of education. However, patients with a higher impairment in quality of life reported lower levels of illness acceptance (p = 0.001) and a higher need for education and support (p = 0.004). AIS and PeDeSI were moderately correlated (rho = 0.33, p < 0.001).ConclusionsArabic psoriatic patients showed moderate acceptance of illness and required some education to support dermatology self-care. Greater clinical attention with focus on patient education and counselling should be given to Arabic patients with psoriasis especially those with more impaired quality of life.

Depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms in patients with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study.

IntroductionAssessment of psychological well-being in psoriasis patients is recommended. However, studies evaluating depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms in Arabic patients with psoriasis are lacking.AimTo quantify levels of psoriasis-related depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms in Arabic patients with psoriasis.Material and methodsA cross-sectional survey on patients’ demographics, disease characteristics, and psychological measures using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (7-item stress subscale), and Insomnia Severity Index. The prevalence and scores of depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms were calculated. Multivariate linear regression models were developed to assess patients’ demographics and disease characteristics affecting the psychological measures.ResultsThe analysis included 223 patients. The patients reported mild levels of depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms (median (interquartile range (IQR)) scores: 9 (6–14), 6 (4–11), and 12 (4–18), respectively) and a moderate level of stress symptoms (median (IQR) score: 10 (5–14)). The prevalence of depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms were 47.1%, 32.7%, 59.6%, and 57%, respectively. Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that for each unit increase in the impact of psoriasis on daily life, there were 5.7 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.7–7.8), 3.8 (95% CI: 1.8–5.7), 5.3 (95% CI: 3.1–7.4), and 6.5 (95% CI: 3.7–9.4) units increase in depression, anxiety, and stress, and insomnia scores, respectively.ConclusionsThe prevalence of depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms in Arabic patients with psoriasis was high. Clinical interventions, screening for psychiatric comorbidities, and consideration of psychotherapy should be implemented in this patient group.

Barriers to healthcare access for Arabic-speaking population in an English-speaking country.

Objective:To identify barriers to healthcare access, to assess the health literacy levels of the foreign-born Arabic speaking population in Iowa, USA and to measure their prevalence of seeking preventive healthcare services.Methods:A cross-sectional study of native Arabic speaking adults involved a focus group and an anonymous paper-based survey. The focus group and the Andersen Model were used to develop the survey questionnaire. The survey participants were customers at Arabic grocery stores, worshippers at the city mosque and patients at free University Clinic. Chi-square test was used to measure the relationship between the characteristics of survey participants and preventive healthcare services. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the focus group transcript.Results:We received 196 completed surveys. Only half of the participants were considered to have good health literacy. More than one-third of the participants had no health insurance and less than half of them visit clinics regularly for preventive measures. Two participant enabling factors (health insurance and residency years) and one need factor (having chronic disease(s)) were found to significantly influence preventive physician visits.Conclusions:This theory-based study provides a tool that can be used in different Western countries where Arabic minority lives. Both the survey and the focus group agreed that lacking health insurance is the main barrier facing their access to healthcare services. The availability of an interpreter in the hospital is essential to help those with inadequate health literacy, particularly new arriving individuals. More free healthcare settings are needed in the county to take care of the increasing number of uninsured Arabic speaking patients.

Adaptation and validation of an Arabic version of a 10-item patient-reported outcome measure of physical function in rheumatoid arthritis.

To adapt and validate an Arabic version of the short form of physical function measure (PF-10a), a generic questionnaire for physical function, in Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). After standardized linguistic validation of the Arabic version of PF-10a, with forward and backward translation, the questionnaire was completed by 70 Egyptian RA patients who were diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 classification criteria, on two occasions 3-5days apart. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation. The content validity of the Arabic PF-10a was tested against Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). In addition, serology results, hand radiographs, and treatments received were all recorded. Most of our patients were female (88.6%) with a mean age of 49.2±10.5years. They had a mean disease duration of 7.3±7years and an active disease with a mean CDAI of 33.1±12.6. The mean value of PF-10a was 34.6±6.2. The Cronbach's alpha for Arabic PF-10a was 0.904. Intra-CLASS CORRELATION was 0.897. Arabic PF-10a correlated strongly with HAQ-DI (-0.746), moderately with CDAI, patient global assessment, and pain (-0.457, -0.417, and -0.371 respectively). The validation study showed that the Arabic PF-10a had acceptable psychometric characteristics, in terms of internal consistency and construct validity. The Arabic PF-10a is a reliable and valid instrument to be used by Arabic RA patients.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Rating Anxiety in Dementia Scale

ABSTRACTObjectives: This study aims to cross-culturally adapt the Rating Anxiety in Dementia (RAID) scale into Arabic language, evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of Lebanese patients with dementia and determine the optimal cutoff for the identification of anxiety.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 136 patients with dementia aged 55 years and above. RAID-A was administered to a formal caregiver of the patient as well as a battery of psychological tools namely Hamilton anxiety scale (HAM-A) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory anxiety subscale (NPI-A). The Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) was used to establish a clinical diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).Results: RAID-A scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s a = 0.82) and test-retest reliability (Intraclass coefficient = 0.99). Significant correlations were found between RAID-A total score and both NPI-A (r = 0.43) and HAM-A (r = 0.88) suggesting good concurrent validity. Results from the receiver operating curve analysis identified a score of 11 as the optimal cutoff for the diagnosis of GAD with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 82%.Conclusions: The Arabic version of the RAID scale exhibits good psychometric properties.Clinical Implications: RAID is a valid tool to measure anxiety in Arabic elder patients suffering from dementia.

Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illnesses Therapy–Fatigue in Arabic Cancer Patients

BackgroundThe Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) is a measurement system that was developed to assess the health-related quality of life among patients with cancer and other chronic illnesses. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) is a 40-item questionnaire, and it is one of the most frequently used instruments to assess fatigue in cancer populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic FACIT-F among patients diagnosed with cancer. MethodsFollowing a translated and cross-cultural evaluation procedure of the FACIT-F Arabic version, a cross-sectional and descriptive correlational design was conducted. A total of 369 patients with cancer completed the FACIT-F, which consists of the 27-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G) and the 13-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F). The scale was assessed in terms of acceptability, internal consistency, and validity. Construct validity was explored through confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsThe FACT-G had acceptable fit in the four-factor model, whereas the FACIT-Fatigue was found to be acceptable for the one-factor model in Arabic patients diagnosed with cancer. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the Arabic FACIT-Fatigue was 0.92, whereas the total score for FACT-G was 0.92, which showed good reliability. There was evidence that discriminated validity analysis was generally very good for the FACIT-Fatigue and FACT-G Arabic versions. ConclusionThe Arabic versions of the FACIT-Fatigue and FACT-G demonstrated good reliability and validity for assessing fatigue and quality of life in patients diagnosed with cancer.

Psychometric evaluation of the Arabic Version the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20)

To date, there is no specific, valid, and reliable scale in the Arabic language to measure CIPN. The purpose of this study was to translate and validate the Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20. A cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing were used. A Convenience sample of 100 Arabic cancer patients completed the study’s surveys. A content validity involving experts and ten patients indicated that the statements were clear and in logical and easy order. Reliability analysis that the QLQ-CIPN20 subscales were internally consistent (Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.84, 0.79, and 0.81, respectively), as was the total QOL-CIPN20 (0.83). The results showed that there was a strong relationship between total QLQ-CIPN20 and total FACT/GOG-Ntx (−0.88, p < 0.001). Moderate negative relationships between total QLQ-CIPN20 and QLQ-C30- Global health status and QLQ-C30-Functional (−0.62 and −0.65, p < 0.001) were found. A positive relationship was found between total QLQ-CIPN20 and QLQ-C30- Symptom (0.63, p < 0.001). Results of the EFA showed that the 20-item scale reflecting three subscales including sensory, motor, and autonomic symptom and functioning. The Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 can be used in clinical, research, and education settings in Arab countries.