[French-language adaptation of an evaluation test of knowledge meant for insulin-dependent children: methodology and value for research in clinical practice].

A measure of knowledge level of diabetic patients is useful in evaluating their educational needs as well as the impact of the educational programs specifically designed for them. The lack of such scales in French, led us to translate and validate an existing knowledge scale for diabetic children, the Test of Diabetes Knowledge (TDK) (Johnson et al.). After several translations and back translations, the 33 item scale was submitted to the staff members of a pediatric diabetology unit, to establish its content validity. An assessment the questionnaire was performed in a group of 49 children, aged 7.9 to 12.8 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 4.6 +/- 2.9 years and their scholastic level varied from 1st to 6th grades. Time spent in filling out the questionnaires was 12 to 25 minutes. Few missing values were noted. The reliability of the scale was excellent as shown by Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.83 for the overall scale, 0.72 for the general knowledge subscale (20 items) and 0.70 for the problem solving subscale (13 items). The level of correct responses was correlated with age and scholastic level (p < 0.0001), but not with sex, duration of diabetes, or HbA1c levels. This study shows that the French version of the TDK is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the level of knowledge in children and adolescents with diabetes. This scale provides the researcher and clinician with a tool that facilitates the performance of an educational diagnosis and the evaluation of educational programs based on the transmission knowledge.