Translation cost, quality, and adequacy.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Qualitative Research
• Cross-Cultural Studies

Background:

• Inclusion of non-native-speaking participants is vital in global nursing research.
• Limited literature exists on cost-effective, quality translation methods for qualitative data.
• Cross-cultural research requires rigorous translation to ensure data integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate a process for establishing and assessing translation adequacy in qualitative research.
• To compare translation procedures for cost and quality when translating data from non-native-speaking interviews.
• To address the gap in understanding translation quality and cost containment in international nursing research.

Main Methods:

• Employed an ethnographic investigation of disability in Mexican American women.
• Defined translation adequacy as meeting the study's specific quality needs.
• Compared two translation processes (certified vs. non-certified) for transcribed Spanish audiotapes, analyzing error rates, accuracy, and cost.

Main Results:

• The evaluation process effectively distinguished between certified and non-certified translator performance.
• Non-certified translations appeared cheaper initially but incurred significant hidden costs due to error correction.
• Certified translations demonstrated no errors, ensuring higher quality and reliability.

Conclusions:

• Determining the required level of translation adequacy before study commencement is essential.
• Utilizing specified methods for assessing translation choices enhances methodological transparency.
• Verifying translation outcomes, including costs, is critical for global nursing research and study design.