title: Validation and clinical application of the german version of the palliative care outcome scale.
abstract: The Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS) is a multidimensional instrument covering physical, psychosocial, spiritual, organizational, and practical concerns. This study validated the German version of the POS and used the tool in different palliative care settings in Germany and Austria. Patients and staff were asked to complete the POS three times and evaluate the questionnaire and the translation afterwards. One hundred eighteen patients (44 male, 74 female, mean age 63 years, all suffering from advanced cancer) completed the POS one time, 55 patients two times, and 36 patients three times. Spearman's rho was highly significant for pain, other symptoms, anxiety, and life worthwhile in the first two assessments. The third assessment showed significant correlations for pain, other symptoms, anxiety, and family anxiety. Seventy-seven of 87 patients answered questions regarding the scale and the translation. All questions other than "Over the past 3 days, have you felt good about yourself?" were understandable for patients. Almost half of the staff was undecided whether the tool was reflecting the patients' condition. In contrast, the majority of patients liked it. Thus, the German version of the POS is well accepted by patients and staff and appears to be valid, although there are some areas where the scale would benefit from expansion to more closely capture staff and patient concerns.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Center for Palliative Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bausewein
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fegg
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: Friedemann
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nauck
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Mackensen
authors.forename: Gian Domenico
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Borasio
authors.forename: Irene J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Higginson
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires