Assessment of quality of life in lymphedema patients: validity and reliability of the Swedish version of the Lymphedema Quality of Life Inventory (LQOLI).

摘要

The Lymphedema Quality of Life Inventory (LQOLI) is an instrument developed for patients with different types of lymphedema. It contains physical, emotional, social, and practical dimensions and consists of 58 items, each with three sub items concerning life quality, daily life changes, and difficulties of changing and two items concerning life quality in general and in relation to lymphedema. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Australian LQOLI to Swedish conditions and to test it for clarity, face validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability. Content and face validity was completed by experts (n=11) and patients with different types of lymphedema (n=16). For construct validation the SF-36 (n=63) was used. Test-retest reliability was evaluated with lymphedema patients (n=58) answering the questionnaire twice, within median 3 weeks. Three items were added in the Swedish version of LQOLI (SLQOLI). The kappa coefficients in test-retest for all items and sub items varied (range = 0.25-0.83). Construct validity showed moderate correlation with SF-36. The SLQOLI is adapted and valid, with moderate reliability, and it can be used in clinic to describe life quality for patients with lymphedema. In this study, 67% of the patients experienced an effect on life quality within the physical dimension and 54-58% within the emotional, social, and practical dimensions.