Cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of health-related quality of life tools used in persons living with diabetes mellitus studies conducted in Ethiopia: a protocol for a scoping review.

Abstract

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among persons living with diabetes mellitus (DM) is assessed using either generic or diabetes-specific tools. Different HRQoL tools are used in Ethiopia. The usefulness of these tools depends on cultural adaptation and validation, which have not yet been systematically reviewed in Ethiopia. This review aims to map the tools used to assess HRQoL among persons living with DM in Ethiopia and evaluate their cultural adaptation and psychometric properties. This review will identify published studies using HRQoL tools among persons with DM in Ethiopia and will be conducted from 2 November 2026 to 28 February 2027. Searches will be conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Google Scholar using a predefined strategy. Additional studies will be identified through reference and citation searching in Google Scholar. Data will be extracted using a checklist based on Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments and International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines. Qualitative analysis will be conducted and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline. The findings will also help researchers select appropriate tools for future studies, making it easier to compare findings across studies. Ethical approval is not required as the review will use published evidence without collecting primary data. Findings will be shared through peer-reviewed publications and local, national and international conferences. CRD420251138933.