A STUDY ON CLINICAL VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE BENGALI LANGUAGE TRANSLATED GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE IN GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE PATIENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21419636Abstract
Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common upper gastrointestinal disorder with significant global and national prevalence. In India, GERD affects a substantial proportion of the population, including Bengali-speaking individuals. However, the lack of a validated Bengali version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GERDQ) limits accurate clinical assessment and research in this linguistic group.
Objective: To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GERDQ) into Bengali for use in clinical and research settings.
Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was conducted at The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata. The English version of the GERDQ was translated into Bengali following the standardized WHO and Sousa et al. translation guidelines, including forward–backward translation, expert committee review, and pilot testing to ensure semantic, conceptual, and cultural equivalence. A total of 80 clinically diagnosed GERD patients (aged 18–65 years) completed the Bengali GERDQ. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and item responses were analyzed for internal consistency and comprehensibility.
Results: The Bengali GERDQ was well comprehended by participants and demonstrated strong internal consistency. The Cronbach’s α value was 0.836, confirming excellent reliability. The translated version showed good face and content validity, and items were culturally appropriate with no ambiguous or misinterpreted terms reported during pretesting.
Conclusion: The Bengali-translated GERDQ is a valid, reliable, and culturally adapted instrument for assessing GERD symptoms in Bengali-speaking patients. Its implementation will enhance the accuracy of diagnosis, enable consistent symptom monitoring, and facilitate clinical and epidemiological research within this linguistic population.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Rupali Bhaduri, Prof. Dr. Debasish Biswas , Dr. Arindam Pal , Prof. Dr.Kaushik D Das, Dr Anjan Roy, Dr Rayba Khatoon, Dr. Shreyasi Sengupta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
