PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Aldrees, Turki AU - Albosaily, Ahmad AU - Alanazi, Latifa AU - Alharethy, Sami AU - AlHindi, Ghada AU - Altuwaijri, Ahmad AU - Aldhahri, Saleh TI - Translation and cultural adaptation of an Arabic version of the patient scar assessment scale for thyroidectomy patients AID - 10.15537/smj.2019.6.24197 DP - 2019 Jun 01 TA - Saudi Medical Journal PG - 590--594 VI - 40 IP - 6 4099 - http://smj.org.sa/content/40/6/590.short 4100 - http://smj.org.sa/content/40/6/590.full SO - Saudi Med J2019 Jun 01; 40 AB - Objectives: To translate and validate an Arabic version of the patient scar assessment scale (PSAS). The cosmetic appearance of a thyroidectomy scar can critically influence a patient’s self-esteem. Moreover, scar evaluation tools are necessary for an evidence-based approach to scar management.Methods: This quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted by administering an Arabic-translated version of the PSAS. The translation process included a forward translation into Arabic by 3 fluently bilingual otolaryngologists, a back-translation into English, and a comparison with the original items. The questionnaires were distributed to patients who underwent thyroidectomies. We included patients who underwent surgery at least 2 months previously.Results: A total of 50 patients were included in this research. The internal consistency was 0.89, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.88-0.90. The score distributions showed high correlations for all items. The Arabic-translated PSAS showed good test-retest reliability, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between the test and retest administrations was 0.84 (p<0.001). With a possible range of 6-60 points, the standard error of the mean was 5.14, and the minimal detectable change was 14.2.Conclusion: This Arabic version of the PSAS was reliable for use in Arabic-speaking communities. It will allow for comparisons between the results of investigations conducted in different countries, which aids in the exchange of information within the international scientific community.