Adaptation and Validation of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) for Arabic-Speaking Populations

Objective: The objective of this study was to translate, adapt, and validate the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) in Arabic. Method: This study involved translating the original English version of the GerdQ into Arabic. A cross-sectional study design was employed utilizing an online Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States) survey distributed across 22 Arabic-speaking countries. Results: A total of 201 participants with a mean age of 23.94 ± 8.03 years from various Arabic countries completed the questionnaire. Of these, 145 participants were female (72%). The Arabic version of the GerdQ demonstrated excellent reliability, with an internal consistency of 0.86. The test-retest reliability of the questionnaire over the two-week interval was 0.92. The Comparative Fit Index (0.96), Tucker-Lewis index (0.94), and other incremental fit indices were all above the 0.95 threshold, which is indicative of good fit. The questionnaire demonstrated moderate diagnostic performance for detecting GERD (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.67). An optimal cutoff score of 10 maximized the sensitivity, specificity, and other metrics. Conclusion: The newly adapted Arabic version of the GerdQ is anticipated to enhance the effectiveness of this tool in both research and clinical settings within Arabic-speaking regions, facilitating better understanding and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease.