Translation and validation of an Iranian version of the Diabetes Quality of Life measure

Aims/Introduction: The objective of this study was to translate and validate an Iranian version of the Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) questionnaire in an Iranian population of males and females with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: A total of 503 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from nine diabetes clinics across several Iranian cities. A standard backward and forward translation procedure was used to convert the English version of the DQOL into the Iranian language (Persian). Internal consistency, convergent validity, known group comparison, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and factorial invariance were applied for the assessment of psychometric properties of the translated version. Results: The translated version of the DQOL showed adequate internal consistency reliabilities for all subscales (Cronbach’s α >0.70). CFA confirmed the underlying domain structure to be the same as for the original English version, therefore supporting the factorial validity of the translated questionnaire. In addition, questionnaire responsiveness showed good sensitivity to interventions. Conclusions: In conclusion, the translated Iranian version of DQOL has shown high internal reliability and good construct validity, and can potentially be applied as an assessment tool for health‐related quality of life in patients with diabetes. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040‐1124.2012.00217.x, 2012)