Validation of Spanish language dyspepsia questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Epidemiology
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• The absence of a validated, Spanish-language dyspepsia questionnaire limits clinical assessment and research.
• Existing tools do not adequately capture the nuances of dyspepsia symptoms in Spanish-speaking populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Spanish Language Dyspepsia Questionnaire (SLDQ).
• To provide a reliable, multidimensional instrument for assessing dyspepsia in Spanish speakers.

Main Methods:

• Development of the SLDQ based on Rome criteria and common symptoms.
• Validation study involving 63 self-reported normal and dyspeptic volunteers in Mexico.
• Assessment of internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha), intra- and interrater reliability (test-retest), and construct validity (correlation with SF-36, comparison between groups).

Main Results:

• The SLDQ demonstrated high internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93).
• Excellent intra- and interrater reliability was confirmed (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96).
• The SLDQ showed appropriate correlations with the SF-36 and effectively distinguished between normal and dyspeptic individuals (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The Spanish Language Dyspepsia Questionnaire (SLDQ) is a valid, reproducible, and multidimensional instrument.
• The SLDQ addresses a critical unmet need for assessing dyspepsia in the Spanish-speaking population.
• Findings support the use of the SLDQ in clinical practice and research for improved patient outcomes.