Translating the Living with Medicines Questionnaire from English to Swedish: a validation study

Aim: This study aimed to translate the Living with Medicines Questionnaire, version 3 (LMQ-3) into Swedish for validation in an outpatient cohort regularly using medicines. 

Methods: Phase 1 translated the originator questionnaire into Swedish, and tested face and content validity through cognitive interviews. Phase 2 tested validation through a cross-sectional survey. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 41 items in the LMQ-3 was conducted. 

Results: Phase 1 involved 25 cognitive interviews. In phase 2, 779 respondents completed the questionnaire online. The total mean LMQ-3 score was 90.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 89.0–92.2; range 43–176), and the mean visual analogue scale score was 3.1 (95% CI 2.9–3.3; range 0–10). The median age was 72 years (range 21–96) with 80.9% retired. The mean number of prescribed medicines was 8.5 (SD 3.8) per respondent. EFA analyses revealed most items loaded in their original domains, except three items: ‘My medicines allow me to live my life as I want to’ (question (Q)32), ‘I have to put a lot of planning and thought into taking medicines’ (Q37) and ‘I find getting prescriptions from the doctor difficult’ (Q1). 

Conclusions: The LMQ-3 was successfully translated into Swedish and validated in a Swedish outpatient cohort regularly using medicines. Construct validity of the Swedish translation was adequate, with minor differences from the originator instrument. Future test–retest reliability will help assess suitability of the instrument for stability of scores over time and usefulness in longitudinal studies. In conclusion, this questionnaire can provide a person-centred measure of medicines burden in persons who regularly take prescribed medicines.