Shared decision-making in healthcare: development and assessment of the translated Finnish version of the SDM-Q-9

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the cultural validity and reliability of a Finnish version of the nine-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) in a sample of patients with different sociodemographic characteristics. Method: The original SDM-Q-9 was translated into Finnish with the agreement of the developers of the original scale. The standardised translation procedure was followed by a pilot test of the questionnaire. The data were collected from an online questionnaire. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha. Structural validity of the questionnaire was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The pilot study assessing the cultural validity of the scale was a success, as it did not find any expressions needing to be revised. The Finnish version of the SDM-Q-9 – the SDM-Q-9-FIN – was tested in the study where a total of 736 patients responded to the questionnaire. The questionnaire yielded high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.92. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the unidimensional factor structure with Item 1 excluded. Conclusions: The SDM-Q-9-FIN was shown to be a reliable instrument for evaluating shared decision-making among Finnish patients. Further testing and research are recommended among a greater diversity of patient groups.