Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Nepali Version of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire

Objective The purpose of this study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and assess the reliability and validity of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ) in pregnant Nepalese women. Methods The cross-cultural adaptation process was conducted according to the Guillemin guidelines. Reliability and validity were assessed using cross-sectional design. The participants responded to questionnaires of sociodemographics, the Nepali version of the PGQ, the Oswestry Disability Index, the Patient-Specific Functional Scale, the 5-item version of the Edinburgh Depression Scale, and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale. The internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha. The test–retest reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and smallest detectable change. Construct validity was assessed by testing 9 a priori hypotheses that examine correlations between the PGQ activity and symptom subscales, and also among the PGQ subscales and Oswestry Disability Index, Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, and 5-item version of the Edinburgh Depression Scale. Spearman and Pearson's correlation were used to assess the correlations. Results A sample of 111 pregnant women were included in the study. The Cronbach's alpha for the Nepali version of the total PGQ was good (α = 0.83), and the test–retest reliability was acceptable (ICC2.1, 0.72) with a measurement error of SDC95% 18.6 points. Seven of the 9 hypotheses found support, which confirms acceptable construct validity of the Nepali PGQ. Conclusion The Nepali version of the PGQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing pelvic girdle pain in pregnant Nepalese women.