[Cancer patient's satisfaction assessment using the EORTC QLQ-SAT32: comparison between self-assessment and interview response].
BACKGROUND
For pertinent investigation of patient satisfaction it is important to know what type of data collection procedure yields optimal results. In this study, we compared a self- versus interview administration of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) patient satisfaction questionnaire (QLQ-SAT32), noting response and item omission rates. We also assessed the correlation and agreement between responses according to these modalities of questionnaire administration.


METHODS
123 patients recruited in two anti-cancer Centers in France were asked to complete the QLQ-SAT32 at home within 2 weeks of hospital discharge and were randomly allocated to participate in a telephone interview-administration of the QLQ-SAT32, either before or after self-completing the QLQ-SAT32.


RESULTS
104 patients completed both modalities of questionnaire administration. Agreement proved excellent for the doctors' and nurses' subscales and satisfactory for the services' subscale and the general satisfaction single item. However, a significant difference in response rate showed up between Centers (different interviewers) and the interview modality revealed an item omission rate higher than for the self-administration modality.


CONCLUSIONS
Self- and interview-administration of the QLQ-SAT32 provided similar responses however different response rate between interviewers and higher item omission rate in interviews suggests a biasing effect of that modality of data collection.
Brédart
A
A
Unité de Psycho-Oncologie, Institut Curie, 26, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris. anne.bredart@curie.net
Mignot
V
V
Rousseau
A
A
Dolbeault
S
S
Beauloye
N
N
Adam
V
V
Elie
C
C
Leonard
I
I
Asselain
B
B
Conroy
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires