Validation of Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire (BHQ) in Chinese Patients With Noncystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis

The Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire (BHQ) was developed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with noncystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the BHQ for use among Chinese patients.

The traditional Chinese version of the BHQ (TC-BHQ) was created through a process of translation, cognitive debriefing interviews, and expert panel reviews. The psychometric evaluation of the TC-BHQ encompassed assessments of factor structure, convergent validity, known-group comparison, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability.

We recruited 150 non-CF bronchiectasis patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the one-factor structure of the BHQ. In terms of concurrent validity, the TC-BHQ total score showed a significant correlation with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score (r = -0.77,  p < 0.01). In addition, the TC-BHQ total score significantly correlated with all SGRQ subscale scores, including the symptom score (r = -0.62,  p < 0.01), activity score (r = -0.60,  p < 0.01), and impact score (r = -0.75,  p < 0.01). There was a statistically significant change in the total score between baseline and follow-up (p = 0.007). Both internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the TC-BHQ were acceptable.

TC-BHQ is a promising tool for assessing HRQOL in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis. It has the potential to be a useful instrument in both clinical and research settings.