[Testing the Reliability and Validity of the Taiwan Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy Scale].

BACKGROUND

Symptom distress related to pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting is known to impact quality of life in pregnant women. However, few reliable and valid assessment tools are available for research use.

PURPOSE

To test the reliability and validity of the Taiwan health-related quality of life for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVPQOL) scale.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was conducted. A convenience sample of 416 pregnant women in their first and second trimesters were recruited from the prenatal clinics of one medical center and one regional teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Chi-square tests, item analysis, and principal axis factor analysis were used to examine construct validity. Pearson's correlation coefficient was then conducted to compare the concurrent validity of the scale against the Chinese-language version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment [WHOQOL-BREF (TW)].

RESULTS

Four factors were extracted using factor analysis: "limitations" (10 items), "physical symptoms/aggravating factors" (9 items), "emotions" (6 items), and "fatigue" (4 items), which together accounted for 67.45% of the total variance. The NVPQOL showed good convergent (r = .78 ~ .85, p < .01), discriminate (r = .48 - .68, p < .01), and concurrent validities, with a -0.37 correlation coefficient between the WHOQOL-BREF (TW) and the NVPQOL (p < .01). The Cronbach's α of the NVPQOL was .95. The intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability of two weeks was .92 (n = 37, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The NVPQOL may be used in future research and clinical assessment to measure quality of life in women who experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy in order to provide appropriate nursing interventions in a timely manner to improve quality of life.