Translation and cultural adaptation of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale into German

Lisa Sperl ^1,2, Tanja Stamm ^1,2, Erika Mosor ^1,2

⁰Institute of Outcomes Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Frontiers in Medicine +

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September 19, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

A new German version of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS) was developed to measure long COVID symptoms. This patient-reported tool will aid in standardized long COVID care for German speakers.

Area Of Science

Medical research
Rehabilitation medicine
Public health

Background

Long COVID affects up to 10% of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, causing persistent symptoms and reduced quality of life.
German-speaking countries may face a higher burden due to lower vaccination rates.
Standardized measurement tools are crucial for managing long COVID, but a German patient-reported instrument was lacking.

Purpose Of The Study

To develop and culturally adapt a German version of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS).
To ensure the comprehensibility and face validity of the German C19-YRS for patient use.

Main Methods

Translation and cultural adaptation of the original English C19-YRS.
Qualitative evaluation using cognitive debriefing interviews with 26 participants.
Analysis of qualitative data using the matrix-framework method.

Main Results

Adaptations to the introductory text were necessary for the German version.
The core items for assessing persistent symptoms remained largely unchanged.
The German C19-YRS demonstrated comprehensibility and face validity.

Conclusions

The developed German C19-YRS is a valuable patient-reported outcome measure.
This tool is expected to facilitate standardized long COVID care in German-speaking regions.
Further research may involve broader validation studies.

Keywords:

long-COVID long-term consequences patient-reported outcomes post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) rehabilitation