The translation into Portuguese of the 11th International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11)

The 11th International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) represents an advance in the focus on knowledge and new disease approaches. The ICD is used for different practical purposes, enabling assessment of progress in the global health agenda, resource allocation, patient safety, health care qualification, and health insurance reimbursement. It is entirely digital, with technological resources that allow periodic updating. In early 2022, ICD-11 entered into official force, having been made available in several official ICD languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, and English. The translation process into Brazilian Portuguese, coordinated by the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), with support from the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MS) and PAHO/WHO, is presented here. The work was carried out in three stages between August 2021 and December 2022 by translators with different backgrounds: medical specialists (49), physiotherapists (1), pharmacologists (1), and dentists (1). This methodological article aims to broaden the discussion of perspectives on implementing the ICD-11 in Brazil and build an opportunity for its adaptation and use by other Portuguese-speaking countries.

Transcultural adaptation of the Thirst Distress Scale (TDS) into Brazilian Portuguese and an analysis of the psychometric properties of the scale for patients on hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE

To produce a transcultural adaptation of the Thirst Distress Scale (TDS) into Brazilian Portuguese and analyze the scale's psychometric properties for patients on hemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

The original scale was translated, back translated, and discussed with psychometric assessment experts. The final version was tested with 126 patients on HD and retested with 70 individuals from the original patient population. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the scale's internal consistency. Reliability of thirst intensity evaluated via the visual analogue scale (VAS) was tested with Kappa statistic and the Bland-Altman plot. Reproducibility was assessed based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

The wording of three items and the verb tenses of six had to be adjusted in the final version of the Brazilian Portuguese TDS. Comprehension of the scale by patients on HD was good, the scale's internal consistency was satisfactory (0.84; p<0.001), agreement with a visual analogue scale (VAS) was moderate (kappa=0.44; p<0.001), and reproducibility neared perfection (ICC=0.87; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that the Brazilian Portuguese version of the scale might be used reliably. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the TDS is a practical, affordable, accessible and well-accepted tool that has a lot to offer for the management of patients with HD.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer Module for quality of life assessment in patients with lung cancer in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To translate the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 29-item Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer Module (QLQ-LC29, developed for the assessment of quality of life in patients with lung cancer) to Portuguese, conducting a pilot study of the Portuguese-language version and adapting it for use in Brazil.

METHODS

For the translation, cultural adaptation, and pilot testing of the QLQ-LC29, we followed the guidelines established by the EORTC. The translation (English → Portuguese) and back-translation (Portuguese → English) were both carried out by translators, working independently, who were native speakers of one language and fluent in the other. After review, a draft version was created for pilot testing in lung cancer patients in Brazil.

RESULTS

A total of 15 patients diagnosed with lung cancer completed the Portuguese-language version of the questionnaire. At the end of the process, we conducted a structured interview to identify any patient difficulty in understanding any of the questions. The final versions were sent to the EORTC and were approved.

CONCLUSIONS

The Portuguese-language version of the EORTC QLQ-LC29 appears to be a useful, important, reliable questionnaire that is a valid tool for assessing quality of life in patients with lung cancer in Brazil.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Brazilian version of the Nonarthritic Hip Score

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE The Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS) is a clinical evaluation questionnaire that was developed in the English language to evaluate hip function in young and physically active patients. The aims of this study were to translate this questionnaire into the Brazilian Portuguese language, to adapt it to Brazilian culture and to validate it. DESIGN AND SETTING Cohort study conducted between 2008 and 2010, at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). METHODS Questions about physical activities and household chores were modified to better fit Brazilian culture. Reproducibility, internal consistency and validity (correlations with the Algofunctional Lequesne Index and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index [WOMAC]) were tested. The NAHS-Brazil, Lequesne and WOMAC questionnaires were applied to 64 young and physically active patients (mean age, 40.9 years; 31 women). RESULTS The intraclass correlation coefficient (which measures reproducibility) was 0.837 (P < 0.001). Bland-Altman plots revealed a mean error in the difference between the two measurements of 0.42. The internal consistency was confirmed through a Cronbach alpha of 0.944. The validity between NAHS-Brazil and Lequesne and between NAHS-Brazil and WOMAC showed high correlations, r = 0.7340 and r = 0.9073, respectively. NAHS-Brazil showed good validity with no floor or ceiling effects. CONCLUSION The NAHS was translated into the Brazilian Portuguese language and was cross-culturally adapted to Brazilian culture. It was shown to be a useful tool in clinical practice for assessing the quality of life of young and physically active patients with hip pain.