Huda Abu-Saad Huijer1, Knar Sagherian2, Hani Tamim3. 1. Hariri School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: huda.huijer@aub.edu.lb. 2. School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 3. Biostatistics Unit, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Abstract
CONTEXT: To our knowledge, there have been no previous attempts to translate the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) into the Arabic language and validate it among the Arab cancer population. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to validate the MSAS in Arabic (MSAS-Leb) among 190 Lebanese oncology outpatients. METHODS: The questionnaires were the MSAS-Leb and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Data were collected between 2009 and 2010 at a major teaching hospital in Lebanon. The psychometric indices used were reliability, convergent validity, principle component analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the MSAS and its subscales ranged from 0.71 to 0.83. On convergent validity testing, the psychological and global distress index subscales were moderately correlated (r > -0.50; P < 0.01) with the emotional functioning subscale of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Correlation coefficients between the MSAS items and selected subscales from the EORTC QLQ-C30 met the standards of convergent validity (r = -0.55 to 0.81; P < 0.01) except for the nausea/vomiting subscale. On principal component analysis (N = 95), four meaningful clusters were recovered. The clusters represented the psychological and physical components. CFA (N = 95) showed an acceptable model and a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.59, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.51, root mean square residual = 0.05, root mean square error of approximation = 0.2) with our data set. CONCLUSION: The MSAS-Leb has acceptable psychometric properties of reliability and validity. We recommend its use in clinical practice and outpatient settings among health care professionals to assess and follow-up on symptom burden among patients diagnosed with cancer.
CONTEXT: To our knowledge, there have been no previous attempts to translate the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) into the Arabic language and validate it among the Arab cancer population. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to validate the MSAS in Arabic (MSAS-Leb) among 190 Lebanese oncology outpatients. METHODS: The questionnaires were the MSAS-Leb and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Data were collected between 2009 and 2010 at a major teaching hospital in Lebanon. The psychometric indices used were reliability, convergent validity, principle component analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the MSAS and its subscales ranged from 0.71 to 0.83. On convergent validity testing, the psychological and global distress index subscales were moderately correlated (r > -0.50; P < 0.01) with the emotional functioning subscale of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Correlation coefficients between the MSAS items and selected subscales from the EORTC QLQ-C30 met the standards of convergent validity (r = -0.55 to 0.81; P < 0.01) except for the nausea/vomiting subscale. On principal component analysis (N = 95), four meaningful clusters were recovered. The clusters represented the psychological and physical components. CFA (N = 95) showed an acceptable model and a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.59, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.51, root mean square residual = 0.05, root mean square error of approximation = 0.2) with our data set. CONCLUSION: The MSAS-Leb has acceptable psychometric properties of reliability and validity. We recommend its use in clinical practice and outpatient settings among health care professionals to assess and follow-up on symptom burden among patients diagnosed with cancer.
Authors: Carolyn S Harris; Kord M Kober; Yvette P Conley; Anand A Dhruva; Marilyn J Hammer; Christine A Miaskowski Journal: BMJ Support Palliat Care Date: 2021-12-17 Impact factor: 3.568