Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Volume 42, Issue 4, 2010, Pages 430-438

Translation of health surveys using mixed methods (Article)

Baker D.L.* , Melnikow J. , Ying Ly M. , Shoultz J. , Niederhauser V. , Diaz-Escamilla R.
  • a Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis, and Division of Nursing, California State University, Sacramento, CA, United States
  • b University of California Davis School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sacramento, CA, United States
  • c Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Treatment, Sacramento, CA, United States
  • d School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HA, United States
  • e School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HA, United States
  • f California State University Sacramento, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Sacramento, CA, United States

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a process-based translation method for a health survey instrument, Searching for Hardships and Obstacles to Shots (SHOTS), using a community-based participatory approach with the Hmong community. Design: The study was based on a cross-sectional survey to assess the reliability and validity of the SHOTS immunization survey, an instrument used in the Hmong community, who are refugees originally from Laos living in the United States. Method: Process-based universalistic health survey translation methods were used in a six-step procedure to translate the instrument. Mixed methods were used to analyze results, including cognitive interviewing, content validity indexing, Cronbach's α, t tests, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Findings: Participants were able to accurately complete the SHOTS survey in either Hmong or English, depending on participant preference. Conclusions: Universalistic, process-based, mixed methods used to analyze language translation, in combination with the principles of community-based participatory research, provide effective methods to translate health surveys. Involvement of the community strengthens the quality of translation and improves reliability and validity of survey results. Clinical Relevance: Healthcare providers require accurate and reliable information from evidence-based health surveys to plan for culturally responsive care. Cross-cultural research often relies on language translation. Translation of a health survey instrument may be improved with universalistic, process-based methodology. © 2010 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Author Keywords

cultural competency Hmong Translation Health survey instruments Community based participatory research

Index Keywords

statistical analysis publication refugee psychological aspect methodology nursing methodology research Laos health disparity Health Status Disparities nonparametric test Data Interpretation, Statistical human Semantics Refugees middle aged statistics Statistics, Nonparametric validation study Translations Health Surveys ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies United States cross-sectional study Humans California male Emigrants and Immigrants female Article adult migration participatory research Community-Based Participatory Research immunization Healthcare Disparities health care disparity attitude to health Health Services Accessibility health care delivery health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78649606946&doi=10.1111%2fj.1547-5069.2010.01368.x&partnerID=40&md5=c6d42dce772d378bfff75459506fd58a
DOI: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2010.01368.x
ISSN: 15276546
Cited by: 19
Original Language: English