Abstract
Goals
To develop and validate a quality of life (QOL) instrument for patients with breast cancer, QLICP-BR, which is one of the system of QOL instruments for cancer patients in China.
Methods
Using the programmed decision methods of instrument development, the quality of life instrument for cancer patients-breast cancer (QLICP-BR) with considering Chinese cultural background was developed, and evaluated on the data from 186 inpatients with breast cancer. The statistical methods used in this research included statistical description, Pearson correlation, factor analysis, and paired t test.
Results
The test–retest reliability for the overall scale and five domains are all above 0.75. Internal consistency α for each domain is higher than 0.65 except social domain (0.58). Most correlation coefficients between each item and it’s domain are above 0.60. The scores differences between pretreatment and post-treatment for overall scale, general module, physical domain, psychological domain and social domain have statistical significance.
Conclusions
The QLICP-BR is of good validity, reliability, and reasonable responsiveness, and can be used to assess quality of life for patients with breast cancer in China.
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Acknowledgements
In carrying out this research project, we have received substantial assistance from Neil Aaronson, Mirjam Sprangers, Christiane van Pottelsberghethe, Karen West and Linda Dewolf at EORTC, from David Cella, Sonya Eremenco, Benjamin J. Arnold and Hiramatsu Toshiko at CORE, Evanston–Northwestern Healthcare, and also from staffs of the Yunnan Tumor Hospital, and Keith J Bourgeois and Xin Tu at the University of Rochester. We sincerely appreciate their kind help.
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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30360092) and the Natural Sciences Funds of Yunnan Province (99C0016G).
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Wan, C., Yang, Z., Tang, X. et al. Development and validation of the system of quality of life instruments for cancer patients: breast cancer (QLICP-BR). Support Care Cancer 17, 359–366 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0478-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0478-1