INTRODUCTION: Quality of life has become an important measure of treatment success and is currently being explored not only for patients on active treatment, but also for long-term breast cancer survivors. The long-term quality of life breast cancer scale (LTQOL-BC) is a tool to assess QOL in breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to validate the tool with health care professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Six HCPs with extensive experience working with breast cancer survivors were selected. HCPs completed the LTQOL-BC and were asked to assess the relevance of each included item to the disease-free breast cancer population. They were also instructed to identify items that could be upsetting for patients, irrelevant to this population, and to assess the tool's breadth of coverage. RESULTS: Feedback indicated that some items such as the body image and sexual functioning questions were potentially upsetting to patients and should be rephrased or removed. The overall breadth of coverage of the tool was inadequate, with employment status, economic situation, ability to meet needs of family, health care insurance coverage, and overall sense of well-being not being addressed by the LTQOL-BC. HCPs also identified that certain items should be edited including those specifying pain in the lower body and the item containing the term "homemaker". CONCLUSION: The LTQOL-BC may need to be modified to take into the recommendations provided by HCPs.
INTRODUCTION: Quality of life has become an important measure of treatment success and is currently being explored not only for patients on active treatment, but also for long-term breast cancer survivors. The long-term quality of life breast cancer scale (LTQOL-BC) is a tool to assess QOL in breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to validate the tool with health care professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Six HCPs with extensive experience working with breast cancer survivors were selected. HCPs completed the LTQOL-BC and were asked to assess the relevance of each included item to the disease-free breast cancer population. They were also instructed to identify items that could be upsetting for patients, irrelevant to this population, and to assess the tool's breadth of coverage. RESULTS: Feedback indicated that some items such as the body image and sexual functioning questions were potentially upsetting to patients and should be rephrased or removed. The overall breadth of coverage of the tool was inadequate, with employment status, economic situation, ability to meet needs of family, health care insurance coverage, and overall sense of well-being not being addressed by the LTQOL-BC. HCPs also identified that certain items should be edited including those specifying pain in the lower body and the item containing the term "homemaker". CONCLUSION: The LTQOL-BC may need to be modified to take into the recommendations provided by HCPs.
Authors: Floortje Mols; Ad J J M Vingerhoets; Jan Willem Coebergh; Lonneke V van de Poll-Franse Journal: Eur J Cancer Date: 2005-10-13 Impact factor: 9.162