Translation and cultural adaptation into Brazilian culture of type 1 diabetes distress scale.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes related distress is common in type 1 diabetes patients (T1D). High levels of diabetes distress are related to poor metabolic control. An instrument to evaluate diabetes distress in T1D patients is "type 1 diabetes scale-T1DDS". The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the T1DDS into Brazilian culture.

METHODS: T1DDS scale was translated into Portuguese. Back translation was performed and evaluated by a specialists committee. Pre-test was performed with 40 T1D outpatients at State University of Campinas hospital. Internal consistency, external consistency and re-test were performed.

RESULTS: 72% women, mean age: 32, 1 ± 9, 7 years, mean diabetes duration: 15, 8 ± 9, 1 years, mean scholarity: 11, 5 ± 3, 6, glycosylated hemoglobin mean: 9 ± 2%. Internal consistency: Cronbach alpha of T1DDS Brazilian version was 0.93. External consistency: Spearman's coefficient between T1DDS and PAID, Brazilian version, was 0.7781; (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The T1DDS Brazilian version is a reliable tool to evaluate diabetes distress in T1D patients in the Brazilian Population. This tool can be useful in clinical care and to identify patiens at risk and in need for psychosocial intervention.