Abstract

Background: The brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (bMHQ), a 12-item questionnaire is a short and easy tool in assessing hand function. It measures hand in six domains including function, activities in daily living, work, pain, esthetics, and satisfaction. The original version is in English and has been translated into many languages. However, it has not yet been translated into the Thai language. Objective: To translate the bMHQ to the Thai language and to assess the reliability of the Thai version of the bMHQ in patients with hand problems. Materials and Methods: The present study translated and cross-culturally adapted the bMHQ following the Beaton's Guidelines for the Cross- Cultural Adaptation Process. The reliability testing was evaluated in 35 patients with hand problems. Results: Twelve items of the bMHQ were translated into Thai without changing the main content of the question. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha were 0.94 and 0.97, respectively. Conclusion: The bMHQ was successfully translated into Thai language and had excellent reliability and internal consistency. Thus, the bMHQThai version is a reliable instrument for evaluating and tracking the hand functions of Thai patients. This questionnaire is easy to use and can be complete in a short time. Thus, it is useful to measure and monitor the hand functions in Thai patients.