Persian version of the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL): Reliability and Validity Study

Background: The University of Washington quality of life questionnaire (UW-QOL) is widely used to evaluate the quality of life for head and neck cancer patients. The purpose of this study is translation of the UW-QOL questionnaire s into Persian. Methods: After translation and cultural adaptation of the UW-QOL, the questionnaire was distributed among 100 head and neck cancer patients. Internal reliability of the translated UW-QOL was determined using Cronbach s alpha coefficient. The validity was determined by Spearman correlation coefficient between UW-QOL and 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12). The test – retest reliability was measured by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) after one week. Results: Cronbach s alpha coefficient was more than 0.75 and ICC coefficient was more than 0.80 in all variables. The UW-QOL questionnaire composite score had a positive significant association with SF-12 questionnaire total score (Spearman s Correlation Coefficient= 0.70, P 0.0001). Conclusion: In conclusion Persian translation of the UW-QOL questionnaire has acceptable reliability and validity and is as valid as the original English version in evaluating the quality of life for patients with head and neck cancer.