Background:
Although morbidity and mortality are important, health indicators related to functioning should also be incorporated into brazilian data collection systems. In this sense, the world health organization designed the model disability survey (mds) based on the biopsychosocial model of the international classification of functioning, disability, and health (icf).

Objective:
To translate, cross-culturally adapt⟡nd analyze content validity of the brazilian version of the mds.

Methods:
This cross-sectional was conducted in five steps: Initial translation, synthesis of translations, back-translation, review by an expert committee, and pre-test. For the pre-test, we included people of both sexes aged over 18 years, with or without disabilities and formal education, and with cognitive ability to answer the survey.

Results:
Mds was considered with 474 items, and 1,896 analyzes were performed according to four equivalences. Of these, 17.25% were partially adequate and inadequate by specialists. A total of 160 items were discussed with other members of the committee. In the pre-test, 22 interviews were conducted in rio grande do norte (73.3%), four in cear㟠(13.3), and four in para㬢a (13.3%), with average duration of 123 minutes. The target audience was 30 participants, single, young adults, self-declared black or brown, with at least technical education. Most were active workers and lived and lived with three family members. Out of one hundred twenty-seven health conditions cited, the most frequent were anxiety and back pain/herniated disc. Answers were analyzed and 63 items needed adjustments; however, only two were sent to the expert committee because they presented a content validity index of < 0.80.

Conclusions:
The mds instrument was translated into brazilian portuguese, cross-culturally adapted for the brazilian population, and presented adequate content validity. The brazilian version was entitled mds-brazil.