The development of a Chinese version of the tobacco use subscale of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS)

Objectives: To provide a culturally and linguistically specific survey instrument for tobacco consumption in Taiwan, we evaluated the reliability and validity of a Chinese translation of the 1993 US Tobacco Use Subscale of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (TU-BRFSS). Methods: An integrative translation was followed by a pilot study of 100 randomly selected adults from throughout Taiwan. Telephone interviews took place in July, 2004. Validity was assessed by Content Validity Index (CVI) computed on the basis of expert review and the averaged scores of back-translation. Results: Of 29 questions, 25 met the CVI criteria for retention in the instrument. In the back-translation assessment, 85% of the average scores taken from the expert evaluations were above 4 (scale of 1-5). Three of four percent agreements between the referent question and 4 other questions were 100%. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the TU-BRFSS, with appropriate content, semantics, and conceptual equivalence, appears valid and reliable for future surveillance and research in Taiwan and other Chinese populations.