Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Japanese Version of the INTERMED Self-Assessment Questionnaire (IMSA) for Patient-Case Complexity Assessment

PURPOSE: This study aims to translate and ensure cross-cultural adaptation of a Japanese version of the INTERMED Self-Assessment Questionnaire (IMSA). METHODS: A family medicine physician, a medical education specialist, a psychiatrist who prepared the Japanese version of the INTERMED, and two members of the INTERMED consortium were selected as committee members. We used the standard forward and backward translation method to translate the IMSA into Japanese. After translating the original IMSA into Japanese, all committee members discussed and reached a consensus on the proposed translation. The back-translation was performed by an English native professional translator who did not know the original text. We contacted the INTERMED consortium and asked them to review the conceptual equivalence of the back-translated Japanese version with the original version; after two reviews, the members approved the Japanese version. Thereafter, we conducted cognitive debriefings with four patients and nine healthcare professionals to ensure cross-cultural adaptation. RESULTS: The members of the INTERMED consortium approved the use of the Japanese version. We modified some expressions and words, while retaining the original meaning, to make it easier for Japanese patients to understand. CONCLUSION: We developed a Japanese version of the IMSA. A future study will investigate the construct criterion-related validity and the reliability of the scale.