Translation and cultural adaptation of the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA©)

Randi Tobberup; Harriët Jager-Wittenaar; Jonas Sørensen; Luise H P Kopp; Pernille Svarstad; Pia Sætre; Faith D Ottery

doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.12.012

Translation and cultural adaptation of the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA©)

Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2022 Feb:47:215-220. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.12.012. Epub 2021 Dec 17.

Authors

Randi Tobberup¹, Harriët Jager-Wittenaar², Jonas Sørensen³, Luise H P Kopp⁴, Pernille Svarstad⁵, Pia Sætre⁵, Faith D Ottery⁶

Affiliations

¹ Center for Nutrition and Bowel Failure, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. Electronic address: r.tobberup@rn.dk.
² Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
³ Section of Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Quality and Development, Division of Adult and Health, Haderslev Municipality, Haderslev, Denmark.
⁵ Center for Nutrition and Bowel Failure, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
⁶ Ottery & Associates, LLC, Deerfield, IL, USA. Electronic address: faithotterymdphd@gmail.com.

PMID: 35063204
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.12.012

Abstract

Background and aim: The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA©) is a globally used malnutrition screening, assessment, triage and monitoring tool. The aim of this study was to perform a linguistic and content validation of the translated and culturally adapted version of the PG-SGA for the Danish setting.

Method: The study was conducted according to the International Society of Pharmaeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Principles of Good Practice for the Translational and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures. Cancer patients (n = 121) and healthcare professionals (HCPs, n = 80) participated in the cognitive debriefing. A questionnaire was used in the cognitive debriefing in which comprehensibility, difficulty, and content validity (relevance) were quantified by a 4-point scale. Item and scale indices were calculated using the average item ratings divided by the number of respondents for content validity (Item-CVI, Scale-CVI), comprehensibility (Item-CI, Scale-CI) and difficulty (Item-DI, Scale-DI). As pre-defined, item indices <0.78 required further analysis of the item, and scale indices ≥0.90 were defined as excellent and 0.80-0.89 as acceptable.

Results: The patient component of the PG-SGA was rated as excellent content validity (Scale-CVI = 0.95) by HCPs and easy to comprehend (Scale-CI = 0.97) and use (Scale-DI = 0.92) by patients. The professional component of the PG-SGA was rated as acceptable content validity (Scale-CVI = 0.80), but below acceptable for comprehension (Scale-CI = 0.71) and difficulty (Scale-DI = 0.69). The physical exam was rated the least comprehensible Item-CI = 0.51-0.70) and most difficult (Item-DI = 0.33-0.063).

Conclusion: The PG-SGA was successfully translated and culturally adapted to the Danish setting. Patients found it easy to understand and to complete. Except for the physical exam, HCPs rated the PG-SGA as relevant, comprehensive, and easy to use. Training of HCPs is recommended before implementing the tool into clinical practise.

Keywords: Malnutrition assessment; Nutrition impact symptoms; Nutrition impact symptoms: malnutrition screening; Nutritional screening.

MeSH terms

Humans
Malnutrition* / diagnosis
Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Nutrition Assessment
Nutritional Status
Translations