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Quality of life after pulmonary embolism: first cross-cultural evaluation of the pulmonary embolism quality-of-life (PEmb-QoL) questionnaire in a Norwegian cohort

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the current study was to translate and test the psychometrical properties of the disease-specific pulmonary embolism quality-of-life questionnaire (PEmb-QoL).

Methods

Patients with a prior history of pulmonary embolism (PE) were identified from the thrombosis registry at Østfold Hospital Trust, Fredrikstad, Norway. All eligible patients were asked to complete the generic EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) QoL questionnaire as well as the disease-specific PEmb-QoL at baseline and after 2 weeks. Construct validity was tested using principal component factor analysis. Criterion validity was tested using Spearman’s correlation coefficients (rho) between EQ-5D and PEmb-QoL. Internal consistency reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, while test–retest reliability was calculated using the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC).

Results

A total of 213 participants had complete datasets and were included in further analyses. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded six factors explaining 71 % of the cumulative variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.94, indicating a very good intercorrelation of items. Of the 213 participants, 145 (68 %) completed the questionnaire a second time. The ICC ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, indicating good test–retest reliability. All factors were found significant with p values <0.001. The criterion validity of the PEmb-QoL was confirmed through good correlation with other similar health-related quality-of-life constructs in the EQ-5D.

Conclusions

Findings of the current study indicate that Norwegian version of the PEmb-QoL is both valid and reliable, thus representing an important supplement in subjective outcomes measurement among patients sustaining PE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Østfold Hospital Trust, Fredrikstad, Norway

    Mazdak Tavoly, Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen, Christina Roaldsnes & Waleed Ghanima

  2. Department of Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Per Dubbsgatan 15, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Mazdak Tavoly

  3. Department of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Hilde Skuterud Wik & Per Morten Sandset

  4. Østfold University College, Fredrikstad, Norway

    Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen

  5. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Mazdak Tavoly, Per Morten Sandset & Waleed Ghanima

Authors
  1. Mazdak Tavoly
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  2. Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen
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  3. Hilde Skuterud Wik
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Correspondence to Mazdak Tavoly.

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Tavoly, M., Jelsness-Jørgensen, LP., Wik, H.S. et al. Quality of life after pulmonary embolism: first cross-cultural evaluation of the pulmonary embolism quality-of-life (PEmb-QoL) questionnaire in a Norwegian cohort. Qual Life Res 24, 417–425 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0779-4

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