Validation of the Spanish version of the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (TRACK) in a population of Hispanic preschoolers

Abstract

Background: There is a critical need for validation studies of questionnaires designed to assess the level of control of asthma in children younger than 5 years old.

Objective: To validate the Spanish version of the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (TRACK) questionnaire in children younger than age 5 years with symptoms consistent with asthma.

Methods: In a prospective cohort validation study, parents and/or caregivers of children younger than age 5 years and with symptoms consistent with asthma, during a baseline and a follow-up visit 2 to 6 weeks later, completed the information required to assess the content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, test-retest reliability, sensitivity to change, internal consistency reliability, and usability of the TRACK questionnaire.

Results: Median (interquartile range) of the TRACK scores were significantly different between patients with well-controlled asthma, patients with not well-controlled asthma, and patients with very poorly controlled asthma (90.0 [75.0-95.0], 75.0 [55.0-85.0], and 35.0 [25.0-55.0], respectively, P < .001). TRACK scores were significantly different between patients classified as currently symptomatic and symptomatic in the recent past (42.5 [25.0-55.0] vs 85.0 [75.0-90.0]; P < .001). The intraclass correlation coefficient of the measurements was 0.755 (95% CI, 0.503-1.00). All patients whose clinical status changed showed an increase of 10 or more points in TRACK score between baseline and follow-up visits. The Cronbach α was 0.77 for the questionnaire as a whole.

Conclusion: The Spanish version of the TRACK questionnaire has excellent sensitivity to change and usability; adequate criterion validity, construct validity, and test-retest reliability; and an acceptable internal consistency, when used in children younger than age 5 years with symptoms consistent with asthma.

Keywords: Asthma; Asthma control; Preschool children; Reliability; Risk; Validation studies; Validity.

Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1. Bland and Altman plot diaplaying the difference in TRACK scores plotted against the mean TRACK scores *

* Horizontal lines are drawn at the mean difference and at the mean difference ± 1.96 s.d. of the differences. In the figure, certain data points are falling on top of each other.