TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of an instrument to assess the needs of patients with cancer
AU - Bonevski, Billie
AU - Sanson-Fisher, Rob
AU - Girgis, Afaf
AU - Burton, Louise
AU - Cook, Peter
AU - Boyes, Allison
AU - Ackland, Stephen
AU - Baker, Robin
AU - Berry, Martin
AU - Biggs, James
AU - Bishop, Jim
AU - Bokey, Les
AU - Burnard, Alison
AU - Clingan, Philip
AU - Cregan, Patrick
AU - Dunn, Stewart
AU - Friedlander, Michael
AU - Goulston, Kerry
AU - Hacker, Neville
AU - Kearsley, John
AU - Langlands, Allan
AU - Levi, John
AU - Moylan, Eugene
AU - Stewart, John
AU - Tattersall, Martin
PY - 2000/1/1
Y1 - 2000/1/1
N2 - BACKGROUND. This study aimed to assess the face, content, and construct validity and the internal reliability of a tool for assessing the generic needs of patients with cancer (the Supportive Care Needs Survey). METHODS. A total of 1492 consecutive patients attending the surgical, radiation, or medical oncology departments of 9 cancer treatment centers in New South Wales, Australia, were asked to participate. Of the 1370 eligible patients, 1354 (99%) consented to participate and 888 (65%) completed the survey. Eligible consenting patients were given a Supportive Care Needs Survey to complete at home and return by mail within 7 days. RESULTS. In the assessment of construct validity, the principal components method of factor analysis identified 5 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, which together accounted for 64% of the total variance (patients' needs in the domains of psychologic, health system and information, physical and daily living, patient care and support, and sexuality). Face and content validity were found to be high following pilot tests and tests of reading ease. Internal reliability coefficients (Cronbach alpha) of all 5 factor-based scales were found to be substantial, ranging from 0.87 to 0.97. CONCLUSIONS. These findings suggest that the Supportive Care Needs Survey provides a reliable and valid index of the global needs of oncology patients. The standardized and widespread application of this instrument is recommended following further refinement and evaluation.
AB - BACKGROUND. This study aimed to assess the face, content, and construct validity and the internal reliability of a tool for assessing the generic needs of patients with cancer (the Supportive Care Needs Survey). METHODS. A total of 1492 consecutive patients attending the surgical, radiation, or medical oncology departments of 9 cancer treatment centers in New South Wales, Australia, were asked to participate. Of the 1370 eligible patients, 1354 (99%) consented to participate and 888 (65%) completed the survey. Eligible consenting patients were given a Supportive Care Needs Survey to complete at home and return by mail within 7 days. RESULTS. In the assessment of construct validity, the principal components method of factor analysis identified 5 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, which together accounted for 64% of the total variance (patients' needs in the domains of psychologic, health system and information, physical and daily living, patient care and support, and sexuality). Face and content validity were found to be high following pilot tests and tests of reading ease. Internal reliability coefficients (Cronbach alpha) of all 5 factor-based scales were found to be substantial, ranging from 0.87 to 0.97. CONCLUSIONS. These findings suggest that the Supportive Care Needs Survey provides a reliable and valid index of the global needs of oncology patients. The standardized and widespread application of this instrument is recommended following further refinement and evaluation.
KW - Cancer
KW - Measures
KW - Psychometrics
KW - Supportive care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033980397&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(20000101)88:1<217::AID-CNCR29>3.0.CO;2-Y
DO - 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(20000101)88:1<217::AID-CNCR29>3.0.CO;2-Y
M3 - Article
C2 - 10618626
AN - SCOPUS:0033980397
VL - 88
SP - 217
EP - 225
JO - Cancer
JF - Cancer
SN - 0008-543X
IS - 1
ER -