Validity and Reliability of the Wound-QoL-14 questionnaire in a Turkish population

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Wound-QoL-14 questionnaire. Methods: This methodological study included 141 patients with chronic wounds (mean age 63.52 +/- 13.94 years; 57% male) treated in a university hospital in Istanbul between March 2022 and April 2023. Content validity was assessed using both expert panel and patient feedback. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha, and item-total correlations were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 35 patients after one week interval. Convergent validity was tested using the SF-12 Health Survey. Construct validity was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: Based on the Davis method, the item-level content validity indices ranged from 0.90 to 1.00. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for scale items ranged from 0.76 to 0.97, and item-total correlations ranged from 0.42 to 0.78. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.95. Wound-QoL total scores showed a significant negative correlation with SF-12 sub-dimensions (r =-0.284 to-0.718). CFA confirmed the four-factor structure (body, psyche, everyday life, and a separate item 5) with factor loadings ranging from 0.67 to 0.93. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the Wound-QoL-14 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing wound-related quality of life in patients with chronic wounds.