A Community-Based Screening Tool for Childhood Epilepsy: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the INDT-EPI Tool in Punjabi-Speaking Indian Population

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Early epilepsy diagnosis is vital for better outcomes in children.
• Access to specialized epilepsy care is limited in many regions, particularly in India.
• The International Clinical Epidemiology Network Diagnostic Tool for Epilepsy (INDT-EPI) is a valuable screening instrument.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and validate the INDT-EPI for screening childhood epilepsy in the Punjabi-speaking Indian population.
• To assess the psychometric properties of the Punjabi version of the INDT-EPI.
• To evaluate the tool's reliability and accuracy for epilepsy screening.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving parents of children aged 1-18 years.
• Translation and back-translation of the INDT-EPI into Punjabi, followed by pilot testing.
• Assessment of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (ICC), and split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown).
• Calculation of sensitivity and specificity against clinical diagnoses.

Main Results:

• The Punjabi INDT-EPI demonstrated excellent cross-language concordance and robust psychometric properties.
• High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.904-1.000) and test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.88-1.00) were observed.
• The tool showed high sensitivity (86.6%) and specificity (87.1%) for identifying childhood epilepsy.

Conclusions:

• The Punjabi version of the INDT-EPI is a reliable and consistent tool for childhood epilepsy screening.
• Its strong psychometric properties make it suitable for use by non-specialist healthcare providers.
• The tool can facilitate early diagnosis and improve outcomes in resource-limited Punjabi-speaking communities.