The Asthma Control Scoring System: translation and cross-cultural adaptation for use in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of a specific scoring instrument for the comprehensive control of asthma, the Asthma Control Scoring System (ACSS), for use in Brazil. METHODS The protocol included ten steps: acquisition of written permission from the author of the ACSS; translation of the instrument to Brazilian Portuguese, carried out by three separate translators; analysis and comparison of the three versions by a review committee; literal back-translation to English; review and harmonization of the back-translation; acquisition of the approval of the original author; review of the translation by specialists; cognitive debriefing: test of clarity to, understanding by, and acceptance of the target population (evaluation of the translation by 10 health care workers); second cognitive debriefing: review of the revised version by a second group of health care workers; and reconciliation and preparation of the final version by the review committee. RESULTS The Brazilian Portuguese-language version of the ACSS showed clarity, understandability, and acceptability. The instrument was considered to be comprehensive because it includes the clinical manifestations of asthma, as well as the functional and inflammatory aspects of the disease. CONCLUSIONS With the use of this careful methodology in the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ACSS, we have ensured its cultural adequacy for Brazil. The use of this instrument could facilitate future studies on asthma control.