The memorial symptom assessment scale short form (MSAS-SF).
BACKGROUND
The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Short Form (MSAS-SF), an abbreviated version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, measures each of 32 symptoms with respect to distress or frequency alone. A physical symptom subscale (PHYS), psychologic symptom subscale (PSYCH), and global distress index (GDI) can be derived from the Short Form. We validated the MSAS-SF in a population of cancer patients.


METHODS
Two hundred ninety-nine cancer patients examined at the Section of Hematology/Oncology completed the MSAS-SF and the Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy (FACT-G). The Karnofsky performance status (KPS), extent of disease (EOD), and demographic data were assessed. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to assess internal reliability. MSAS-SF subscales were assessed against subscales of the FACT-G, the KPS, and EOD to determine criterion validity. Test-retest analysis was performed at 1 day and at 1 week.


RESULTS
The Cronbach alpha coefficients for the MSAS-SF subscales ranged from 0.76 to 0.87. The MSAS-SF subscales showed convergent validity with FACT subscales. Correlation coefficients were -0.74 (P < 0.001) for the PHYS and FACT-G physical well-being subscales, -0.68 (P < 0.001) for the PSYCH and FACT emotional well-being subscales, and -0.70 (P < 0.001) for GDI and FACT summary of quality-of-life subscales. The MSAS-SF subscales demonstrated convergent validity with performance status, inpatient status, and extent of disease. The test-retest correlation coefficients for the MSAS-SF subscales ranged from 0.86 to 0.94 at 1 day and from 0.40 to 0.84 for the 1 week group.


CONCLUSIONS
The MSAS-SF is a valid and easy to use instrument for symptom assessment.
Chang
V T
VT
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Section Hematology/Oncology, VA New Jersey Health Care System at East Orange, 07018, USA. CHANG.VICTOR_T@EAST-ORANGE.VA.GOV
Hwang
S S
SS
Feuerman
M
M
Kasimis
B S
BS
Thaler
H T
HT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results