Table 1 Consensus translation and reasons for modification for the D-39 Items instrument

Energy and Mobility

Question 10. Restrictions on how far you can walk

‘’Uko uzitirwa ku ntera ushobora kugenda n'amaguru’’

How you are impeded in the distance that you are able to go with your legs

kugorwa n'intera y'urugendo ushobora kugenda n'amaguru

Experiencing misfortune on account of the distance of the journey you are able to go with your legs [walk]

“uzitirwa ku ntera” was not clear to the interviewees and was replaced with “kugorwa n’intera y’urugendo”

Question 33. Having to organize your daily life around diabetes

kuba ukenera gutegura ubuzima bwawe bwa buri munsi ugendeye kuri diyabete

needing to plan your everyday life around diabetes

kugomba gutegura gahunda z’ubuzima bwawe bwa buri munsi ugendeye kuri diyabete

needing to prepare plans for your everyday life around diabetes

Some interviewees considered to plan as to prepare. To emphasise the meaning of plan/schedule, “gahunda” was added.“kuba” was interpreted as “able to”, and therefore was replaced with “kugomba” (“must”)

Question 35. Restless sleep

gusinzira nturuhuke

restless sleeping

kuryama ukumva utaruhutse

sleeping in such a way that you feel you are not rested

Many participants failed to understand “gusinzira nturuhuke”: for them when one falls asleep, he/she gets rested

Question 36. Walking more slowly than others

kugenda gahoro ugereranije n'abandi

walking more slowly than others

kugenda gahoro n'amaguru ugereranije n'abandi

walking more slowly than others

Some participants considered “kugenda” as “progressing” or “developing”. To help them understand “walking”, we added “n’amaguru” (literally means with “one’s legs” and is part of the natural expression for walking, “kugenda n’amaguru”)

Diabetes Control

Question 15. Losing control of your blood sugar levels

gutakaza ubushobozi bwo gucunga urugero rw'isukari mu maraso

losing the ability to manage the blood sugar level

kutabasha gucunga urugero rw'isukari mu maraso yawe

being incapable of managing the level of the sugar in your blood

“gutakaza ubushobozi” was not clear to the interviewees and was replaced with “kutabasha gucunga”; “yawe” (your) was missing in the consensus translation and was added

Question 28. The need to eat at regular intervals

gukenera kongera kurya nyuma y'ibihe bingana

Needing to eat again after equal times

guhora kugomba gufata amafunguro mu bihe bimwe buri munsi

always needing to take meals at the same times every day

It was unclear for many interviewees what equal times means, and therefore it was rephrased

Social Burden

Question 19. The restrictions your diabetes places on your family and friends

ibyo diyabete yawe ibuza ku muryango n'inshuti bawe

what your diabetes denies to your family and friends

ibyo diyabete yawe ibuza ku nshuti zawe no ku muryango wawe

what your diabetes denies to your friends and to your family

The interviewees thought “bawe” (your) was wrong as they thought that it was referring only to “nshuti” (friends). We proposed a change to make it clear that the question refers to both family and friends. “ibyo” was replaced with “ibintu bitandukanye” to make the question clearer

Question 26. Doing things that your family and friends don't do

gukora ibyo umuryango n'inshuti bawe badakora

doing things your family and friends don’t do

gukora ibintu bitandukanye kubera diyabete yawe, nk’ibyo inshuti zawe n’umuryango wawe badakora

doing different things because of your diabetes, such as things your friends and family do not do

Similar to question 19 there was confusion with the word “bawe” referring only to friends: this was changed to refer both to family and friends. Many participants did not understand to which things this question referred: “kubera diyabete yawe” was added to specify that the things that the respondent does is because of his/her diabetes