BACKGROUND: Patient perceived quality of recovery is an important outcome after surgery and should be measured in clinical trials. Quality of recovery after surgery and general anaesthesia can be measured by the QoR-15. A high score indicates a good recovery and the score ranges from 0 to 150. The aim of this study was to translate the QoR-15 questionnaire into Danish and do a full psychometric evaluation of the Danish version.

METHODS: A translation and cultural adaption of the original version of the QoR-15 into a Danish version, the QoR-15D, was performed. After obtaining consent, patients undergoing elective abdominal, orthopaedic or gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia were included. Patients completed the QoR-15D before surgery and on the first postoperative day. The validity, reliability, responsiveness and clinical feasibility of the QoR-15D were evaluated.

RESULTS: One hundred and forty patients returned their pre- and postoperative questionnaire successfully giving a completion rate of 56%. The postoperative QoR-15 score was negatively correlated with duration of surgery (ρ = -0.21, 95% CI: -0.04 to -0.36, P < 0.02) and postoperative stay (ρ = -0.28, 95% CI: -0.12 to -0.43, P < 0.01). Postoperative QoR-15D scores were inversely related to the extent of surgery: minor, intermediate or major (127 ± 22, 106 ± 29 and 96 ± 24, respectively, P < 0.01). Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability was 0.90 and 0.88. Test-retest reliability was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.94-1.00). Cohen's effect size was 1.13 and the standardized response mean was 0.82.

CONCLUSION: The QoR-15D has preserved the validity, excellent reliability, high degree of responsiveness and the clinical feasibility of the original English version.