Content validity of SarQoL, a quality of life questionnaire specific to sarcopenia

C Demonceau; B Voz; O Bruyère; J-Y Reginster; C Beaudart

doi:10.1007/s40520-024-02756-0

Content validity of SarQoL, a quality of life questionnaire specific to sarcopenia

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2024 Apr 30;36(1):101. doi: 10.1007/s40520-024-02756-0.

Authors

C Demonceau¹, B Voz², O Bruyère², J-Y Reginster³, C Beaudart⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, University of Liège, Liege, Belgium. celine.demonceau@uliege.be.
² Department of Public Health, University of Liège, Liege, Belgium.
³ College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.

Abstract

Background: The Sarcopenia & Quality of Life (SarQoL) questionnaire is a patient-reported outcome measure designed for assessing health-related quality of life in individuals with sarcopenia. Despite its wide acceptance in the scientific literature, its content validity has only been partially demonstrated so far.

Aims: To enhance the evidence supporting the content validity of the SarQoL questionnaire.

Methods: Following COSMIN methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 Belgian older adults who met the EWGSOP2 criteria for the diagnosis of sarcopenia and 11 experts in sarcopenia, with clinical or research background. Comprehensiveness, relevance and comprehensibility of SarQoL content were assessed through individual transcripts and were qualitatively analyzed thematically according to the seven dimensions of SarQoL.

Results: The majority of the concepts elicited during the semi-structured interviews fitted within existing SarQoL dimensions. Importantly, the different domains of SarQoL were consensually considered as relevant by patients and experts. Some new emergent concepts were identified by the participants. While many of them could be considered as enrichments of existing dimensions or sub-concepts, other new concepts (i.e. self-fulfilment, acceptance of the reduced condition, adaptation/use of strategies, depression) may highlight two potential dimensions not covered by SarQoL, i.e. patient empowerment and depression. Cognitive interviews also highlighted that SarQoL items and instructions were clear and comprehensible.

Conclusions: SarQoL, in its current form, demonstrates good evidence of content validity for assessing health-related quality of life in patients with sarcopenia. We do not recommend adding new items or dimensions to SarQoL. Instead, for researchers or clinicians who aim to specifically address self-empowerment or depression of sarcopenic populations, we suggest completing the assessment of quality of life by concurrently using additional validated scales of patient empowerment or depression.

Keywords: Content validity; Health-related quality of life; SarQoL; Sarcopenia.

Publication types

Validation Study

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Quality of Life* / psychology
Reproducibility of Results
Sarcopenia* / diagnosis
Sarcopenia* / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires