OBJECTIVES

The current analysis was aimed to translate and examine the psychometric properties of the Urdu version of WHOQOL HIV BREF among HIV patients of Pakistan.

METHODS

Standard forward-backward translation technique was used for Urdu translation of the WHOQOL HIV Bref. Based on principal of 5 subjects minimally for each item, a sample of 182 patients were recruited by employing universal random sampling technique. Data was analyzed to measure reliability, internal consistency, known-group and construct validity.

RESULTS

High internal consistency was found for all WHOQOL HIV Bref facets scales as demonstrated by higher reliability coefficients (Sum scale: α = 0.93, Physical Health: 0.931; Psychological Health: 0.93; Level of Independence: 0.93; Social Relationships: 0.93; Environment Health: 0.93; Spiritual Health: 0.93). The test-retest reliability revealed a statistically significant inter-class correlation coefficient ranged 0.88–0.98 (p<0.001). In known group validity, subjects with lower CD-4 counts had lower scores for all six domains (p<0.001). In similar, symptomatic participants had significantly lower scores than asymptomatic participants on the physical, psychological, social relationship and independence domains (p<0.05). Spearman’s correlation tests indicted significant inverse correlation (P<0.001) between HIV stages and all six domains of HIV-BREF scale, explaining higher stages associated with poor quality of life. Results also revealed statistically significant positive correlation of all six domains with CD4 count (P<0.001), exhibiting patients with higher CD-4 count will have higher mean scores of all six domains. When all domains were assessed together via Multiple linear regression analysis; only physical, psychological health and environment health domains were found significantly associated with higher CD-4 count (Beta= 0.121, P<0.001, Beta=0.103, P=0.002, and Beta= 0.032, P=0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings offer promising support for the use of Urdu version of the WHOQOL HIV Bref among Pakistani HIV patients as a reliable and valid instrument.