Validation of the Filipino version of the Berlin questionnaire to identify population at risk of sleep apnea syndrome

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Filipino version of the Berlin questionnaire (BQ) as a tool to screen for the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a primary care patients. BACKGROUND: Most patients with OSA are unrecognized and untreated. The BQ is a tool that has been validated to screen for patients at risk for OSA and has been translated into and used in different languages. METHOD: The forward and backward translation method was applied. The Filipino version was administered to 40 individuals able to read and understand both English and Filipino in different communities within the Metro Manila area followed 24 hours later with the English version. A focused group discussion and feedback were done after. RESULTS: The BQ in Filipino showed good construct validity supported by the Cramer's coefficient ranging from 0.802 to 1 (p CONCLUSIONS: The BQ in Filipino showed high construct validity. It can now be used as a research tool to conduct studies on risk assessment and disease correlation with OSA in the local community. It may likewise be used as a screening tool especially in areas with limited resources in order to identify patients who may need further workup for OSA.