Translation, adaptation and validation of the Brazilian version of the Utian Quality of Life for evaluation of quality of life in the climacteric

PURPOSE: To translate, to adapt and to validate the Utian Quality of Life (UQOL) for the Brazilian population. METHODS: Women in the climacteric phase, residents in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, located in the Brazilian Northeast, were randomly selected. UQOL and SF-36 questionnaires were used, and the translation from English to Portuguese was made by three teachers, while the adaptation stage of the translated version was made by applying the questionnaire to 35 women, which could mark the answer choice "I did not understand the question"; reproducibility measurements (test-retest) and construct validity were used to validate, following international methodological standards. RESULTS: The Brazilian version was fully recognized by the target population, which was comprised of 151 women, as no question showed a percentage of "non-understanding" equal to or greater than 20%. The results for intra and interobserver reproducibility demonstrated significant agreement on all the questionnaire items. This version showed consistency above the required criteria (>70), demonstrating its accuracy, while the construct validity was obtained by statistically significant correlations between the domains occupation, health and emotional of UQOL and the SF-36 domains. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole instrument was 0.82, representing good accuracy. Item-total correlation analysis showed the scale homogeneity. CONCLUSION: From the steps taken, the UQOL questionnaire was translated and adapted for its use in Brazil, with high reproducibility and validity. Thus, it can be included and used in Brazilian studies that aim at evaluating the quality of life of women during the peri-and postmenopausal.