Cros-cultural adaptation and reproducibility of the Measure of the Quality of the Environment in individuals with hemiparesis

Abstract

Functionality is influenced by health related conditions, as well as environmental factors. Among the questionnaires that measure the impact of environmental factors on functionality, the Measure of the Quality of the Environment (MQE) is commonly used. The objective of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the MQE for the Brazilian Portuguese language and to evaluate its reproducibility. After the cross-cultural adaptation, the MQE was applied to 28 post-CVA individuals, twice, with an interval of seven to 10 days. We calculated the weighted Kappa coefficients and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest reliability evaluation. The limits of agreement were verified through the Bland-Altman plot. We also calculated the standard error of measurement (SEM), and the minimum detectable difference (MDD). The results showed that 81% of the items had moderate to almost perfect reliability, and that the total scores of the facilitator and the barrier showed high reliability (ICC> 0.71). We identified no systematic errors between the test and retest and the SEM values were acceptable. It was possible to detect real change of environmental factors perception over time. The MQE-Brazil showed the potential to be used in clinical practice and scientific research.