Development and evaluation of the Communication over Language Barriers questionnaire (CoLB-q) in paediatric healthcare

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2018.04.007Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • CoLB-q addresses communication over language barriers and the use of interpreters.

  • CoLB-q is perceived as important and relevant in the pediatric healthcare context.

  • CoLB-q is a valid and reliable questionnaire.

  • The described process is proposed as a guide for similar questionnaire development.

Abstract

Objective

To develop a valid and reliable questionnaire addressing the experiences of healthcare personnel of communicating over language barriers and using interpreters in paediatric healthcare.

Methods

A multiple- methods approach to develop and evaluate the questionnaire, including focus groups, cognitive interviews, a pilot test and test-retest. The methods were chosen in accordance with questionnaire development methodology to ensure validity and reliability.

Results

The development procedure showed that the issues identified were highly relevant to paediatric healthcare personnel and resulted in a valid and reliable Communication over Language Barriers questionnaire (CoLB-q) with 27 questions.

Conclusion

The CoLB-q is perceived as relevant, important and easy to respond to by respondents and has satisfactory validity and reliability.

Practice implications

The CoLB-q can be used to map how healthcare personnel overcome language barriers through communication tools and to identify problems encountered in paediatric healthcare. Furthermore, the transparently described process could be used as a guide for developing similar questionnaires.

Keywords

Questionnaire development
Communication
Language barriers
Interpreter
Paediatric healthcare

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