Atrial Fibrillation Impact Questionnaire (AFImpact): Validity and reliability of the Turkish version

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Health Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is crucial in managing atrial fibrillation (AF).
• A disease-specific HRQoL questionnaire for Turkish-speaking AF patients was previously unavailable.
• The Atrial Fibrillation Impact Questionnaire (AFImpact) is a recognized tool for assessing AF-related quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and culturally adapt the AFImpact questionnaire into Turkish.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of AFImpact.
• To provide a reliable instrument for assessing HRQoL in Turkish AF patients.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving translation and cultural adaptation of the AFImpact.
• Psychometric evaluation of the Turkish AFImpact using data from 98 AF patients.
• Assessment of reliability (internal consistency, test-retest) and validity (construct, known-groups).

Main Results:

• The Turkish AFImpact demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.819–0.956).
• High test-retest reliability was confirmed (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients: 0.991–0.996).
• Strong correlations with SF-36 and PSQI, and ability to discriminate between functional classes supported validity.

Conclusions:

• The Turkish version of AFImpact is a valid and reliable instrument.
• It can be effectively used to assess HRQoL in Turkish patients with atrial fibrillation.
• This facilitates better management and patient-centered care for AF in Turkey.