Development of the Ukrainian Version of Oswestry Disability Index – Intercultural Adaptation and Validation of the Tool

Abstract

Tools based on patient assessment (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, PROMs) have significant interest in rehabilitation practice. Nowadays, this approach is considered reliable, trustworthy, and reasonable. Tools that have undergone all stages of adaptation and validation are highly proven and meet international standards, which, in particular, is a guarantee of high-quality survey results. The purpose of the study was to conduct an intercultural adaptation of the Oswestry Disability Index to the Ukrainian language and further verify the validity of this version of the instrument. Materials and methods. The study included individuals who had complaints of back pain (n = 104, 60.6 % females; age (M±SE) – 36.9±1.6 years old). Three different tools were used to assess pain (Oswestry Disability Index, Visual Analogue Scale) and various parameters of life quality (“The MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey”). The internal consistency of the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire was evaluated (the α-Cronbach’s index was determined), its reliability was studied (according to the test-retest procedure), and correlation and regression analyzes were used to check the constructive validity. The structure of the questionnaire was studied using exploratory factor analysis. Results and discussion. The proposed Ukrainian version of the questionnaire passed all stages of translation and intercultural adaptation, which meets the international standards and requirements of the MAPI Research Trust. In addition to the scientific coordinators, a sufficient number of translators, editor of the scientific literature, and a group of patients were involved in these processes. The questionnaire has high internal consistency (α-Cronbach = 0.931) and reliability (Spearman’s rho = 0.94, p < 0.01). In the structure of the tool, two factors explain 69.165% of the total variance. Issues related to walking and social life were related to the first factor, sitting, standing, traveling – to the second factor, the intensity of pain, self-care, lifting objects, and sex life – were related to both the first and second factors. The questionnaire has a sufficient level of constructive validity. An average correlation with the value of the Visual Analogue Scale (r = 0.547, p < 0.001), a strong correlation with the life quality scale “Physical Functioning” (r = -0.871, p < 0.001) were identified. Conclusion. The Ukrainian version of the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire can be used to assess the level of pain, physical well-being, and physical component of the life quality of patients who have complaints of back pain