Adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ-J) for the evaluation of self-management education interventions

Aim: In many countries, health education interventions are popular; however, few valid measures exist for evaluation of multifactorial interventions. The aim of the present study was to translate and culturally adapt the widely-used 8 scale Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) for the evaluation of the Japanese Specific Health Consultation (SHC) in people with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A draft was generated using a standardized forward and back translation protocol with independent translators and consensus meetings. Pilot testing included cognitive interviews (n=12) resulting in question refinements. To explore psychometric properties, 250 participants aged between 40 and 64years (retest=116) completed the Japanese version of the heiQ (heiQ-J) and comparator scales, mental health and vitality scales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36 item Short-Form Health Survey, Sense Of Coherence scale, and Social Support Measurement scale. Results: Cognitive interviews revealed that the translation was understood as intended by participants. Internal consistency (α) was good to very good for all scales (0.70-0.88) and test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients were high (≥0.83). Concurrent validity was supported by high correlation with like scales and weak correlation with dissimilar scales. Conclusion: The translated and adapted heiQ-J has good face and concurrent validity and is reliable. The heiQ-J is likely to be a useful measure of the quality and impact of the SHC and return valuable data to clinicians and commissioners of health education in Japan.