[Validation of the Spanish version of the Palliative Care Outcome Scale].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to translate the Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS) into Spanish and to validate it.


METHODS
The translation and adaptation was based on the conceptual equivalence of the terms used. In order to study the psychometric properties, 200 patients receiving palliative care were asked to fill out the POS questionnaire, the European Organization for Research on Cancer Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORCT QLQ C-30), the Barthel Index and the Karnofsky Index on their first visit. The Spanish version of the POS questionnaire was given to the patients again, a week later, to measure the intra-observer reliability.


RESULTS
There were no major problems with the translation and adaptation process. The Spanish POS adapted very well for both the staff and the patients versions. Inter- and intra-observer reliability was good, with intraclass correlation coefficients of between 0.61 and 0.93 according to the item. Internal consistency analysis showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.62 for the staff version and 0.64 for the patients version. Most of the Spanish POS correlated with the EORTC QLQ C-30 emotional function scale and quality of life scale.


CONCLUSIONS
The Spanish POS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the quality of life of patients receiving palliative care. It is useful in research as well as in everyday clinical practice.
Unidad de Investigación, Consorci Sanitari del Maresme, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain. mserra@csm.scs.es
Mateu
M
Serra-Prat
Maria
M
Nabal
Víctor
V
Santacruz
Josep M
JM
Picaza
Jordi
J
Trelis
D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires