Validation and exploratory factor analysis of Urdu Version of Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire.

Objective: To present and validate psychometric properties of Urdu version CLDQ, yet another objective was to do exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) of CLDQ Urdu version.

Methods: This Cross-sectional Analytical Study was conducted at Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi during the period Nov. 15, 2021 to Jan. 30, 2022. CLDQ Urdu questionnaire was self-administered by the patients. The questionnaire consisted of 29 items and responses were recorded on 7-point Likert type scale. Reliability testing was done by Cronbach's α, test value of >0.7 is taken as reliable. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Adequacies for conduction of EFA depended on Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value of ≥0.5 and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (BTS) of ≤0.05. Mean CLDQ Urdu scores were also compared with Child Class using ANOVA and post-hoc analysis was done.

Results: A total of 320 patients were selected after informed consent. All conditions for adequate EFA were met (Cronbach's α =.949; KMO = .846; BTS ≤.001). Mean CLDQ Urdu score was 156.74 in male and 133.27 in female (<.001). Child Class-A had best quality of life with score of 186.63 ±6.91 and Child Class-C had the worst with scores of 109.78 ±21.33. EFA resulted in reduction of domains to 4 (Muscular Symptoms, Emotional Symptoms, Abdominal Symptoms & Somnolence) & reduced the number of items from 29 to 11.

Conclusion: Urdu CLDQ version is validated in our settings. EFA resulted in reductions in number of domains and items. CLDQ Urdu showed that quality of life decreases significantly with Child Class.