[Linguistic acceptability in the comprehension of health services assessment questionnaires in Ibero-America]

Abstract

The use of questionnaires as measuring tools involves the use of language. Spanish intralinguistic variation entails differences in the ways of perceiving the world, analyzing events and behaving, which must be taken into account when designing and adapting questionnaires. The IA-PCAT (Primary Care Assessment Tools for Iberomerica) harmonization process differs from the cross-cultural adaptation scenarios described in the scientific literature, since it intends to obtain a single Spanish product suitable for multiple target populations, that emanates from questionnaires previously adapted in several populations. Hence, this work requires the use of new analysis categories. The aim of this methodological note is to propose discriminant definitions of conceptual equivalence, practical equivalence and linguistic acceptability as analysis categories of the data collected during cognitive interviews to assess the questionnaires' comprehension, carried out with health professionals and users of healthcare services.

Keywords: Cuestionarios; Cultura; Culture; Encuesta de salud; Health survey; Language; Lenguaje; Primary health care; Primer nivel de atención; Questionnaire.