title: Quick-FLIC: validation of a short questionnaire for assessing quality of life of cancer patients.
abstract: A practically useful measure of quality of life should be simple and quick to complete. A shortened Chinese version of the Functional Living Index - Cancer (FLIC) was recently proposed and was called Quick-FLIC. This study aims to assess the measurement properties of the Quick-FLIC. A total of 190 patients who received care from the National Cancer Centre of Singapore completed a questionnaire package at baseline. Patients filled in a retest questionnaire on average 2 weeks after baseline to assess test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change. The Quick-FLIC scores correlated well with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Therapy - General scores (r=0.78). Patients with different treatment status, performance status and self-rated health had significantly different Quick-FLIC scores in the expected directions (ANOVA; each P<0.001). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.87) and 2-week test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation=0.81) were also satisfactory. The measure was responsive to changes in health status (P<0.001). The Quick-FLIC is a valid and reliable measure of health-related quality of life of cancer patients. The shortening of established health-related quality of life instruments should be considered in order to reduce the burden of having patients to answer lengthy questionnaires.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Sciences, National Cancer Centre, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610. ctecyb@nccs.com.sg
authors.forename: Y-B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: L-C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: G-Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: W-T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: S-S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: E-H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires