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Abstract

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally, with significant underdiagnosis and neglect. In Portugal, COPD prevalence was estimated at 14.2% in 2013. This study aimed to translate the "Understanding COPD Questionnaire" for the Portuguese population and evaluate its reliability and validity. The questionnaire assesses patients' knowledge of COPD, self-management skills, and satisfaction with pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
Methods: The translation process followed international guidelines, resulting in a consensus version.
Results: Reliability analysis, using Cronbach's alpha, showed an excellent internal consistency for Section A of the questionnaire (? = 0.92), which focuses on knowledge and self-efficacy regarding COPD. Dimension 1, related to knowledge about the disease, had the highest reliability. No items were excluded, as this would not improve the scale's consistency. Due to the limited number of participants who had attended pulmonary rehabilitation, Section B, which assesses satisfaction with such programs, could not be validated. However, this did not affect the primary goal of the questionnaire, which is to evaluate knowledge and self-management of COPD.
Conclusion: This study produced a reliable European Portuguese version of the "Understanding COPD Ques-tionnaire", with good internal consistency for Section A. The tool will be available to healthcare professionals, aiding in better understanding of patient health literacy and providing a foundation for more personalized care in COPD management.