Translation, Validity, and Reliability of the Arabic Version of the Patient-Experienced Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PECQ)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52609/jmlph.v6i1.239Keywords:
Continuity of Patient Care, Primary Health Care, Saudia Arabia, Surveys and QuestionnairesAbstract
Background: Continuity of care (CoC) is a cornerstone of effective primary health care. To improve CoC in this setting, it is essential that healthcare administrators evaluate it systematically. One validated tool designed for such purpose is the Patient-Experienced Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PECQ). The PECQ is a Swedish questionnaire that, at the time this study began, had been validated but did not have an Arabic version.
Aim: This study aimed to translate the Swedish PECQ into Arabic and to determine the validity and reliability of the Arabic version within the Saudi community.
Method: The research followed a multi-step process. The PECQ was translated according to the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines for translation and cultural adaptation. Content validity was assessed using the Content Validity Index (CVI), and internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and a correlation matrix.
Result: The Arabic version (A-PECQ), developed through a 10-step process, includes 20 items covering four dimensions of CoC: informational, relational, management, and knowledge continuity. An average Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI) of 0.90 was achieved, with 75% of the items rated as having high content validity.
Conclusion: The Arabic version of the PECQ demonstrated strong content validity and acceptable reliability, making it a suitable tool for evaluating CoC in Arabic-speaking communities. Although some of its components have moderate CVI values, the A-PECQ continues to be a useful instrument for assessing CoC in primary health care and supports quality improvement programs in this field.
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