# Validation and cultural translation for the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Estro-Androgenic- Symptom Questionnaire in Women

## TL;DR

This study translated and validated a questionnaire for hormonal symptoms in menopause for use in Brazilian Portuguese, showing it is reliable and consistent.

## Contribution

The paper provides a culturally adapted and validated version of the EASQ-W for Brazilian Portuguese-speaking women.

## Key findings

- The EASQ-W showed satisfactory internal consistency in both groups (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.70).
- Test-retest reliability was strong (ICC 0.787-0.977) over 4 weeks.
- The questionnaire demonstrated responsiveness to hormonal treatment (p < 0.001).

## Abstract

This study aimed to translate and validate the Estro-Androgenic-Symptom Questionnaire in Women (EASQ-W) into Brazilian Portuguese language, as we hypothesized that this tool would be consistent for addressing the specific context of hormonal symptoms in menopause.

In a cross-sectional study, a total of 119 women with Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) and 119 climacteric women without GSM were included. The EASQ-W was translated, and its psychometric properties were rigorously examined. Participants completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic details, the EASQ-W, and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). A subgroup of 173 women was re-invited after 4 weeks for test-retest analysis of the EASQ-W. Additionally, the responsiveness of the questionnaire was evaluated in 30 women who underwent oral hormonal treatment.

The internal consistency of the EASQ-W was found to be satisfactory in both GSM and control groups (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.70). Notably, a floor effect was observed in both groups; however, a ceiling effect was only evident in the sexual domain of the GSM group. Construct validity was established by comparing the EASQ-W with the MRS, yielding statistically significant correlations (0.33831-0.64580, p < 0.001). The test-retest reliability over a 4-week period was demonstrated to be satisfactory in both the GSM and control groups (ICC 0.787-0.977). Furthermore, the EASQ-W exhibited appropriate responsiveness to oral hormonal treatment (p < 0.001).

This study successfully translated and validated the Estro-Androgenic-Symptom Questionnaire in Women (EASQ-W) into Brazilian Portuguese, with satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity.