Measuring health and disability of Ukrainian cadets – translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the WHODAS 2.0

Introduction. The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire is used internationally to assess disability. The goal was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Ukrainian version of WHODAS 2.0, and examine the tool’s efficacy, particularly for screening studies. Methods. The participants of the study were cadets ( n = 256, age – 18–21 years). This study used the Ukrainian versions of WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (36 items, self-administered, WHODAS) and Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey (MOS SF-36). The WHODAS was translated according to the WHO protocol. The level of disability, quality of life, and complaints of injuries and pain during training were assessed. Results. Translation into Ukrainian of WHODAS was conducted. The overall score of the WHODAS questionnaire correlates with the values of the MOS SF-36 questionnaire scales. Numerous negative moderate or significant correlations were found between virtually all MOS SF-36 questionnaire scales and WHODAS domains. The strength and number of correlations in the study group were lower than in populations with significant health disorders. The level of vitality, fatigue and low efficiency were critical for the respondents. Conclusions. The Ukrainian version of the 36-item WHODAS questionnaire is easy to use and is suitable for use in the form of interviews to assess the health, functioning, and disability of the general population. This tool will contribute to the more effective clinical practice of clinical professionals, in particular in rehabilitation, and will enable the integration of research results related to the assessment of the level of disability at the national and international levels.