Translation and adaptation of the stroke-specific quality of life scale into Swahili.
Emily M Nyanumba, Joseph M Matheri, Nassib Tawa and 1 others
PMID 37065454WHAT IT FOUND
A stroke quality-of-life questionnaire was translated into Swahili and checked with 32 people with stroke. 46 of 49 items were understood, and average scores were 82 for English and 81 for Swahili on a 49 to 245 scale, though vision items needed revision.
Key findings
01The pre-final Swahili version was tested with 32 adults with stroke, and 46 of the 49 items were well understood.
02Among 32 respondents, the mean overall total score was 82 for the English version and 81 for the Swahili version.
03One self-care item was not applicable to two participants, and one vision item was reported as ambiguous.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 32 adults with stroke completed pre-validation, recruited by convenience from one association in Nairobi, so the result may not apply to all Swahili-speaking stroke survivors. The study excluded people in acute or severe stroke, people with a stroke diagnosis of 1 month or less, and people with difficulty reading, writing or understanding English or Swahili. The paper checked content and face validity, but it did not test reliability or validity, and the authors recommend further research on reliability and validity. The Swahili version was compared only with the original English SSQOL, which the paper says has not been contextualised in a Kenyan setting. Three items were unclear or not applicable, and the vision domain mean scores differed between versions. Questionnaire adaptation was new knowledge in Kenya, and sector-specific translators were difficult to include.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat this as a proven reliable or valid measure for all Swahili-speaking stroke survivors. The study only pre-validated the translation with 32 people from one association in Nairobi, excluded acute or severe stroke and people with reading or understanding difficulties, and the authors recommend further research on reliability and validity.