Translation and Psychometric Analysis of the Urdu Version of Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide, ranking as the third major cause of mortality in wealthy nations and the second in developing ones. When adapting a questionnaire for use in a different cultural context, a process called "cross-cultural adaptation" considers linguistic and cultural nuances. Guidelines outline the standard procedure to translate, assess psychometric properties, and culturally adapt questionnaires for new populations. The Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL), designed for self-administration, requires no training. Research indicates its accuracy in assessing stroke victims over the phone, with completion taking 10 to 15 minutes. Scores on the SS-QOL scale correlate with improved functioning. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's alpha, ranged from satisfactory to outstanding in stroke patients, indicating good reliability. This study aims to fill a gap by translating the SS-QOL questionnaire into Urdu, facilitating culturally adapted assessments. Validating scores within the Pakistani population will establish the reliability and effectiveness of the Urdu version, addressing a literature gap in stroke-related quality of life assessments among Urdu speakers in Pakistan. This research aims to provide valuable insights and a comprehensive tool for clinical setups in diverse settings, urban or rural. Introducing a standardized gold standard test will enable healthcare professionals to confidently diagnose and prognose stroke patients. The SS-QOL questionnaire, with its 49 self-report items covering 12 energy-related domains, promises to enhance understanding of stroke's impact on the quality of life among Urdu speakers.