Reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the reliability and validity of the Korean language version of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) before using this version in clinical practice to assess the quality of care in patients with heart failure in a cardiology clinic.

METHODS: The Korean versions of the MLHFQ, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were administered to evaluate the psychometric properties among 154 patients with heart failure in a major cardiac center in Korea. Cardiac function was assessed by evaluating left ventricular ejection fraction values, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels, and New York Heart Association classifications.

RESULTS: The questionnaire content and construct validity were supported by factor analysis. Three factors explained 70.7% of the variance. Total and subtotal scales had correlations with the mental and physical component scores of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, supporting the convergent validity of the Korean version of the MLHFQ. We also found that the New York Heart Association classification was associated with the MLHFQ score. The internal consistency of both total and subtotal scales was greater than .80.

CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the MLHFQ demonstrated excellent psychometric properties. These results support the use of the MLHFQ in Korean patients with heart failure. Further studies are recommended to assess the responsiveness to change of the Korean version of the MLHFQ.