The Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life instrument: Reliability and validity of the Youth Form.
OBJECTIVE
Improvements in survival after childhood cancer have increased emphasis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of survivors. We developed the Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life-Youth Form (MMQL-YF) as a standardized patient self-report instrument designed to assess HRQoL in childhood cancer survivors between the ages of 8 and 12 years.


METHODS
To validate the instrument, the MMQL-YF was administered to 643 children (481 healthy, 162 with cancer). Factor analysis was conducted to refine the instrument, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to measure its internal reliability. Known-groups validity was determined by comparing healthy children with those with cancer. Construct validity was studied by a comparison of similar domains in the MMQL-YF and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). Stability was tested by re-administration of the MMQL-YF 2 weeks later.


RESULTS
Internal consistency reliability was in the acceptable range for this instrument. The MMQL-YF was able to distinguish between known groups, and its scales correlated highly with similar CHQ domains. Test-retest reliability showed that the instrument was extremely stable in all scales tested.


CONCLUSIONS
Data provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the MMQL-YF as a comprehensive, multidimensional, self-report instrument for measuring HRQoL among childhood cancer survivors.
Bhatia
Smita
S
Division of Pediatric Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA. sbhatia@coh.org
Jenney
Meriel E M
ME
Wu
Eric
E
Bogue
Monica K
MK
Rockwood
Todd H
TH
Feusner
James H
JH
Friedman
Debra L
DL
Robison
Leslie L
LL
Kane
Robert L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*