%0 Journal Article
%T Quality of life with diverticular disease: translation and validation of the German version of the diverticulitis quality of life questionnaire (DV-QOL).
%A Barzi KV
%A Galli R
%A Denhaerynck K
%A Rosenberg R
%A von Strauss Und Torney M
%J Tech Coloproctol
%V 28
%N 1
%D 2024 Aug 13
%M 39138701
%F 3.699
%R 10.1007/s10151-024-02982-8
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>The DV-QoL is a 17-item questionnaire measuring health-related quality of life in patients affected by symptomatic diverticular disease, covering four domains: physical symptoms, concerns, feelings, and behavioral changes. Given the lack of a diverticulitis-specific questionnaire to be used for German-speaking patients, we prospectively validated the German version of the DV-QoL.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>German-speaking patients with CT-confirmed history of recurrent diverticular disease admitted to a Swiss surgical department completed the German version of the DV-QoL, along with short form-36 (SF-36) and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI). Reliability was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, a Martin-Loef test, and Cronbach's alpha. For convergent validity testing, correlations were calculated with the GIQLI and SF-36. Discriminant validity tests included age and gender.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>We included 121 patients, of whom 77 were admissions for elective surgery and 44 presented with acute diverticulitis treated conservatively. The DV-QoL's total score showed good correlations with the GIQLI (r = - 0.77) and its subscales (r = - 0.76 to - 0.45), as well as with the SF-36's subscales (r = - 0.30 to - 0.57). No relationships were found with age or gender (p < 0.05). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.89 over all items and 0.69, 0.90, 0.78, and 0.77 for the four separated domains (physical symptoms, cognitions/concerns, feelings, and behavioral changes, respectively). A nonsignificant Martin-Loef test indicated unidimensionality (p = 1), further supported by the exploratory factor analysis, which showed an item information sharing of 65%.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The German DV-QoL questionnaire can be used as a valid and reliable disease-specific measure for quality of life in patients with recurrent diverticular disease.