Health and Quality of Life Outcomes BioMed Central Review Open Access International versions of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) Lothar AJ Heinemann*1, Peter Potthoff2 and Hermann PG Schneider3 Address: 1ZEG – Center for Epidemiology & Health Research Berlin, Invalidenstr. 115, 10115 Berlin, Germany, 2NFO Health Europe, Landsberger Straβe 338, 80687 Munich, Germany and 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 56, 48149 Muenster, Germany Email: Lothar AJ Heinemann* - heinemann@; Peter Potthoff - ; Hermann PG Schneider - * Corresponding author Published: 30 July 2003 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2003, 1:28 This article is available from: Received: 09 July 2003 Accepted: 30 July 2003 © 2003. | BioMed Central Health and Quality of Life Outcomes Review Open Access International versions of the Menopause Rating Scale MRS Lothar AJ Heinemann 1 Peter Potthoff2 and Hermann PG Schneider3 Address 1ZEG - Center for Epidemiology Health Research Berlin Invalidenstr. 115 10115 Berlin Germany 2NFO Health Europe Landsberger Strape 338 80687 Munich Germany and 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Von-Esmarch-Strasse 56 48149 Muenster Germany Email Lothar AJ Heinemann - heinemann@ Peter Potthoff- Hermann PG Schneider - Corresponding author Published 30 July 2003 Received 09 July 2003 Accepted 30 July 2003 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2003 1 28 This article is available from http content 1 1 28 2003 Heinemann et al licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose provided this notice is preserved along with the article s original URL. Abstract Background Symptom scales for aging women have clinically been used for years and the interest in measuring health-related quality of life HRQoL has increased in recent years. The Menopause Rating Scale MRS is a formally validated scale according to the requirements for quality of life instruments. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the instrument particularly concerning versions of the scale in different languages. MRS versions available The translations were performed following international methodological recommendations for the linguistic cultural adaptation of HRQoL instruments. The first translation was done from the German original scale into English UK USA . The English version was used as the source language for the translations into French Spanish Swedish Mexican Argentine Brazilian Turkish and Indonesian languages attached as additional PDF files . Conclusion The MRS scale is obviously a valuable tool
