Year: 2025 | Month: May | Volume: 15 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 138-146
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20250519
Linguistic and Cultural Landscape of MHQ Adaptation: A Systematic-Narrative Review of Challenges and Strategies
Dr Ravinder Kaur Marwaha1, Dr Yagna Shukla2
1Ph.D. Scholar, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Professor, MAEER's physiotherapy college. Pune
2Principal, Govt. College of Physiotherapy, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
Corresponding Author: Dr Ravinder Kaur Marwaha
ABSTRACT
Purpose: While the psychometric properties of cross-cultural adaptations of the Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) have been previously examined, this systematic-narrative review aimed to explore the critical linguistic and cultural considerations inherent in the adaptation process for diverse populations.
Methods: A hybrid systematic-narrative review was conducted, searching PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and SCOPUS for studies published between 1999 and 2025 that discussed the linguistic or cultural aspects of MHQ adaptation. Data from 20 included articles, identified through a systematic search strategy, were synthesized using thematic analysis to identify key challenges and strategies in adapting the MHQ.
Results: The thematic analysis revealed five overarching themes: (1) Linguistic Challenges and Adaptation Strategies, highlighting issues with direct translation and the need for culturally sensitive adaptation; (2) Cultural Relevance of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), emphasizing the necessity of modifying items to reflect culturally specific practices; (3) Cultural Relevance of Demographics and Socioeconomic Factors, underscoring the importance of tailoring data collection; (4) Influence of Gender Roles, revealing potential biases in responses based on cultural norms; and (5) Measurement Equivalence and Validation, highlighting the need for rigorous processes to ensure cross-cultural comparability.
Conclusion: This review underscores the multifaceted linguistic and cultural challenges in adapting the MHQ for diverse populations, offering insights that complement previous findings on psychometric properties. The identified themes emphasize the need for culturally sensitive approaches in translation, item relevance, and data interpretation. Future research should prioritize the development of standardized guidelines that integrate these considerations to enhance the validity and clinical utility of the MHQ across global settings.
Key words: Michigan Hand Questionnaire, Cultural Adaptation, Hand Conditions, Linguistic, Translation