Polish cultural adaptation of the Roland-Morris questionnaire for evaluation of quality of life in patients with low back pain

Study Design. Cultural adaptation and cross-sectional psychometric testing. Objectives. The aim of this study was to validate the Polish translation of the Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ), which evaluates the functional level of activity of patients with discogenic low back pain with radicular radiation, caused by intervertebral herniation, according to category A1 in the Kirkaldy-Willis classification and Type QTF6 in classification Quebec Task Force. Summary of Background Data. The main concern of patients with low back pain is the functional limitation that the symptoms cause. It is important to find a validation tool by means of which their functional level can be assessed. The RMQ was compared with MOS Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), to pain scale, to depression scale, to functional scale that measures activities of daily living, and to measuring forward and side bending of the spine. Methods. Independently, two professionals made a translation and then two native speakers made a translation-back of the RMQ. Then 104 patients with lumbar disc herniation completed the RMQ, SF-36, VAS and FIR (ADL scale). The study group comprised 39 women and 65 men with an average age of 44 years. Results. The significant correlation between the RMQ and other questionnaires was found. RMQ and SF-36 Physical, r = 0.47, P < 0.00001, RMQ and Pain, r = 0.462, P < 0.00001. Cronbach's alpha showed a value of 0.88 (scale 0 - 1). Conclusions. The correlation between severity of disease and quality of life, between bending of spine and quality of life, between depression and quality of life, and between activities of daily living and quality of life has been found. According to this study, the RMQ can be used as a valid tool in the assessment of the functional level of patients with lumbar pain and previous lumbar herniation. The RMQ is fast and easy to complete; it is valid, reliable, and sensitive. We recommend the questionnaire to be used in research of quality of life in low back pain.