Summary
Equivalence of international versions of a quality of life measure is vital to its use in research. Along the lines of an approach proposed in cross-cultural psychology, the functional, scale, operational and metric equivalence criteria are outlined and elaborated using translation and testing of the SF-36 as an example. The problems faced in examining and meeting these criteria, as well as possible procedural solutions, are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aaronson N, Ahmedzai S, Bullinger M, Crabeels D, Estapè J, Filiberti A, Flechtner H, Frick U, Hürny C, Kaasa S, Klee M, Mastilicia M, Osoba D, Pfausler B, Razavi D, Rofe P, Schraub S, Sullivan M, Thkeda F (1991) The EORTC Core quality of life questionnaire: interim results of an international field study. In: Osoba D (ed) Effect of cancer on quality of life. CRC Press, Vancouver, pp 136–154
Aaronson, N, Acquadro C, Alonso J, Apolone G, Bucquet D, Bullinger M, Bungay K, Fukuhara S, Gandek B, Keller S, Razavi D, Sanson-Fisher R, Sullivan M, Wood-Dauphinee S, Wagner A, Ware J (1992) International quality of life assessment (IQOLA) project. Quality Life Res 1: 349–351
Bullinger M (1991) Quality of life-definition, conceptualization and implications – a methodologist’s view. Theoretical Surg 6: 143–148
Bullinger M (1994) German translation and psychometric testing of the SF-36 – preliminary results from the IQOLA Project. Social Sci Med, in press
Bullinger M, Hasford J (1991) Evaluating quality of life measures. German clinical trials. Controlled Clin lfials 12: 915–1055
Bullinger M, Cella D, Aaronson N, Anderson R (1993) Developing and evaluating crossnational instruments from minimum requirements to optimal models. Quality Life Res 2: 451–459
Dressler WW, Vieteri, FE, Chavez A, Greel GAC, Dos Santos JE (1991) Comparative research in social epidemiology: measurement issues. Ethnicity Disease 1: 379–393
Guyatt GH, Deyo RA, Charlson M, Levine MN, Mitchell A (1989) Responsiveness and validity in health status measurement: a clarification. J Clin Epidemiol 42(5): 403–408
Hui CH, Triandis HC (1985) Measurement in cross-cultural psychology: a review and comparison of strategies. J Cross-Cultural Psychol 16(2): 131–152
Hunt SM (1993) Cross-cultural comparability of quality of life measures. Drug Info J 27: 395–400
Hunt SM, Wiklund I (1987) Cross-cultural variation in the weighting of health statements: a comparison of English and Swedish valuations. Health Pol 8: 227–235
Kleinman A, Eisenberg L, Good B (1978) Culture, illness and care: clinical lessons from anthropologic and cross-cultural research. Ann Int Med 88: 251–258
McDowell I, Newell C (1987) Measuring health: A guide to rating scales and questionnaires. Oxford University Press, New York
Nunnally JC (1978) Psychometric theory. 2nd ed. New York, Mc Graw-Hill
Patrick DL, Erikson P (1993) Health status and health policy: Allocating resources to health care. Oxford University Press, New York
Sartorius N (1987) Cross cultural comparisons of data about quality of life: a sample of issues. In: Aaronson NK, Beckmann J (eds) The quality of life of cancer patients. Raven Press, New York, pp 1075–1077
Stewart AL, Ware JE (eds) (1992) Measuring functioning ans well-being: the Medical Outcomes Study approach. Duke University Press, Durham and London
Tarlov A, Ware J, Greenfield S, Nelson E, Perrin E, Zubkoff M (1989) The Medical Outcome Study: an application of methods for monitoring the results of medical care. JAMA 262: 925–930
Walker S, Rosser R (1992) Quality of life: key issues in the 1990s. Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht
Ware JE (1987) Standards for validating health measures: definition and content. J Chronic Dis 40(6): 473–480
Ware JE (1993) The SF-36 Health Survey-Manual and interpretation guide. New England Medical Center (Health Institute). Nimrod Press, Boston
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Bullinger, M. (1994). Ensuring International Equivalence of Quality of Life Measures: Problems and Approaches to Solutions. In: Orley, J., Kuyken, W. (eds) Quality of Life Assessment: International Perspectives. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79123-9_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79123-9_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-79125-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-79123-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive