Adaptation of the Dartmouth COOP Charts for use among American Indian people with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To adapt the Dartmouth COOP Charts for use among American Indians with diabetes and to evaluate the operating characteristics of the adapted charts because measures of health status have not been evaluated for use among American Indians with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: American Indian adults participated in focus group conferences to adapt and review the Dartmouth COOP Charts for use in American Indian communities. American Indian participants with diabetes were interviewed and administered the adapted charts. The operating characteristics of the charts were evaluated by measuring internal and external consistency, reliability, and acceptability.

RESULTS: Some of the wording and pictures were considered to be offensive and culturally inappropriate in American Indian communities. The adapted charts showed internal consistency in a comparison of interchart variables.

CONCLUSIONS: The adapted Dartmouth COOP Charts are more culturally acceptable than the original charts and appear to measure constructs adequately.