The Reliability of the Shona Version of the EQ-5D

Background: There is an increasing need to have locally applicable health related quality of life outcome measures that are both reliable and valid. The aim of this paper was to present the Shona version of a Health Related Quality of Life Measure, the EQ-5D (Euro Quality of Life--5 Dimensions) and to examine the reliability and validity of the translated instrument.

Method: Thirty eight test-retest responses from randomly selected members of a high density suburb in Harare were analysed. The measures of agreement (Kappa statistic) between the two sets of scores were very high and ranged from 0.78 to 1.00 for different domains of activity. The correlation between the two sets of scores in the section of the instrument that calls for valuation of health state on a visual analogue scale (VAS) was high (Spearman's rho = 0.793). It is suggested that, based on this small sample, the EQ-5D is a reliable measure of HRQoL and can be utilised in studies in a high density Shona speaking population.