Translation and adaptation of the English version of the DFNS QST manual (version 2.1) into isiZulu and Setswana

File descriptions

1. Original English language version (v2.1) of the DFNS QST instruction manual
2. isiZulu language translation of the English language version of the DFNS QST instruction manual
3. Back translation of the isiZulu language translation of the DFNS QST instruction manual into English
4. Setswana language translation of the English language version of the DFNS QST instruction manual
5. Back translation of the Setswana language translation of the DFNS QST instruction manual into English
6. Translation certificate for the original forward translation of the DFNS QST manual into isiZulu and Setswana, and their back translation into English

Translation and adaptation

The translation and adaptation procedure followed the steps recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (WHODAS 2.0).

Forward translation

The English version of the Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) protocol (version 2.1 - 08.07.2010) developed by the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS) was translated into isiZulu and Setswana by professional translators (Translation World, Johannesburg, South Africa). The translators were fluent in both English and the target language, but had no prior knowledge of sensory testing and the QST protocol.

Back translation

The isiZulu and Setswana versions of the protocol were independently translated back into English by a second set of professional translators who had not seen the original English document. This back translation step was used to identify potential changes in meaning that may have occurred during the translation process.

Expert review

The English back-translated versions of isiZulu and Setswana manuals were reviewed by four experts in pain and quantitative sensory testing (Dr Harriet Kemp, Imperial College London, UK; Dr Victoria Madden, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Dr Andreas Themistocleous, Oxford University, UK; Dr Jan Vollet, University of Exeter, UK). The experts compared the back-translated document with the original English protocol to identify areas where meaning may have been altered, lost, or misinterpreted during translation.

Focus groups

Following expert review, two focus group discussions were conducted with native isiZulu speakers to verify the translated isiZulu manual. The first focus group included 9 isiZulu speakers aged 20-29 years (4 females and 5 males), and the second group consisted of 10 isiZulu speakers aged 30-39 years (5 males and 5 females). A second set of focus groups was held with native Setswana speakers to verify the Setswana manual. The first focus group consisted of 8 Setswana speakers aged 20-29 years (5 females and 3 males), and the second group consisted of 8 Setswana speakers aged 30-39 years (4 females and 4 males). Each focus group reviewed the translated instructions and assessed the clarity, appropriateness, and cultural relevance of the wording used. Participants were encouraged to suggest alternative wording where necessary and to validate the terms that best represented the intended meaning of the original English instructions.

Final version

The feedback from the topic experts and the focus groups was relayed to the professional translators, who then produced the final versions of the isiZulu and Setswana DFNS QST manuals, and an independently produced English back-translation of the document.