[Development of the general module of the system of quality of life instruments for cancer patients: item selection and structure of the general module].
OBJECTIVE
The researches on quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients are concerned worldwide. Two QOL instrument systems for cancer patients, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) and Quality of Life Questionnaires (QLQ), have been developed and used widely in the US and Europe, but no one has been developed in China. This study was to develop the general module of the system of quality of life instruments for cancer patients (QLICP-GM) used in China.


METHODS
The structured group (nominal group and focus group) methods and the qualitative combined quantitative theory and methodology was used to develop rating scales. The items were preliminarily screened, evaluated, and modified. The QOL data of 448 cancer patients were analyzed by the methods of coefficient of variation, factor analysis, clustering analysis, and correlation analysis.


RESULTS
QLICP-GM was developed and evaluated. The module, including 32 items, was consisted of 4 domains: physical function, psychologic function, social function, and general symptoms and side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
QLICP-GM possesses a reasonable content validity because it reflects the WHO definition and connotation of QOL, and common issues of cancer patients as well.
Wan
Chong-Hua
CH
Faculty of Public Health, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, Yunnan, PR China. chonghua_wan@yahoo.com.cn
Meng
Qiong
Q
Luo
Jia-Hong
JH
Tang
Xue-Liang
XL
Zhang
Can-Zhen
CZ
Lu
Yu-Bo
YB
Yang
Zheng
Z
Zhang
Xiao-Qing
XQ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires