Linguistic Ratification and Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of the Specialized FLIP Questionnaire in Russian for Assessing Quality of Life of a Food-Allergic Child’s Family Members: the First Results

Abstract

Background: Assessment of quality of life of a food-allergic child’s family members requires developing special instruments or adapting the existing ones. Objective: The study was aimed at developing a specialized questionnaire “The Food hypersensitivity family ImPact“ (FLIP) in Russian for assessing quality of life a food-allergic child’s family members and evaluating its psychometric properties. Methods: Linguistic and cultural adaptation of the FLIP questionnaire in Russia involving parents/legal representatives of children with food allergies was performed prospectively. We confirmed reliability and constructive validity of the questionnaire in Russian. Results: Polling involved parents/legal representatives of 131 children with food allergies aged 1–18 months. Results of evaluation of the questionnaire’s psychometric properties demonstrated an average level of internal consistency of the questionnaire (Cronbach’s > 0.72 in different age groups). The questionnaire evaluation results depend on the degree of manifestation of disease symptoms (p = 0.033), pharmacotherapy duration (p = 0.033), breastfeeding for 6 months or more (p = 0.033), time or diet broadening and strictness of elimination diet observation (p = 0.033), number of foods eliminated from the diet (p = 0.010) and number of diagnostic events (p = 0.033). Conclusion: The FLIP questionnaire in Russian was developed; it underwent assessment of psychometric properties. We demonstrated dependence of quality of life of food-allergic children’s family members on disease characteristics and therapy effectiveness.

Keywords

• children
• early age
• food allergy
• quality of life
• questionnaire