VALIDATION OF VIETNAMESE VERSION OF PEDIATRIC QUALITY OF LIFE INVENTORY VERSION 4.0 GENERIC SCORE SCALE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

Do Thi Hanh Trang, Nguyen Thanh Ha and Le Thi Thu Ha

Abstract

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly an important eval-uation tool of health improvement interventions and healthcare services outcome. A validated measurement of HRQoL was carried out to assess initial reliability and validity of a Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 generic score scales for Vietnamese school children 8-12 years of age. Backward and forward translations of the English version of PedsQL into Vietnamese were performed and the translated version was administered to 276 Vietnamese school children and 276 parents. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and known-groups method were conducted to assess construct and discriminant validity, respectively. Satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability were obtained. Factor analysis sup-ported a four-factor model of PedsQL and discriminant validity was demonstrated in comparison of HRQoL between obese and normal weight children. Thus, the Vietnamese version of PedsQL 4.0 generic score scale proved reliable and valid and should be applicable in community and school settings in Vietnam.