Validation of a quality of life questionnaire for critically ill patients.
OBJECTIVE
Development and validation of quality of life questionnaire for critical care patients.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Intensive care unit (ICU) of a general hospital and ICUs of 83 Spanish hospitals.


METHODS
Patients admitted to the ICU > 18 years of age; close family members.


METHODS
A committee of experts designed a questionnaire with characteristics judged essential for intensive care use: easy, quick administration (5-10 min); capable of completion by patient or close family member, by direct or telephone interview. Fifteen items relevant to critical care patients were grouped in three subscales: basic physiological activities, normal daily activities, and emotional state. Reproducibility of interobserver, intraobserver, patient/family member and telephone/direct interviews was analysed and also internal consistency, responsiveness, and main components.


RESULTS
Internal consistency (578 patients): Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.85. Reproducibility: intraobserver reproducibility (n = 150): Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.92. Interobserver (n = 85): correlation = 0.92. Patient/family member (n = 81): correlation = 0.92. Telephone/direct interview (n = 54): correlation = 0.96.


RESULTS
factorial analysis confirmed that the three subscales were fundamental questionnaire components. There was good concordance between questionnaire/subscale and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) results. Responsiveness: quality of life score changes between preadmission and 6 months' postdischarge correlated with GOS findings (weighted kappa index = 0.56).


CONCLUSIONS
Questionnaire meets objectives recommended for critical care use, and fulfills essential requirements of validity and reproducibility when applied to critically ill patients.
Fernandez
R R
RR
Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, CRT Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Carretera de Jaen, Granada, Spain.
Cruz
J J
JJ
Mata
G V
GV
D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors