Development and validation of a patient-physician relationship index in the advanced cancer setting.
BACKGROUND
The quality of the relationship between patient and medical staff is crucial in oncological settings. We have developed and validated a short, self-administered questionnaire to measure patients' satisfaction with their relationship with the physician: the Patient-Physician Relationship Index (PPRI).


METHODS
Content validity was evaluated by a two-stage (development and judgment) process. One hundred and nine cancer patients with metastatic disease were assessed during the second cycle of chemotherapy and 59 were reassessed eight weeks later. Quality of life and anxiety and depression were also evaluated.


RESULTS
The PPRI is monofactorial. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.81. Sensitivity to change was shown by the correlation with changes in patients' conditions. The PPRI scores were only weakly correlated with the majority of the EORTC and HAD subscale scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The PPRI is an easy-to-use, self-administered questionnaire, developed in a population of patients with advanced cancer. It has good internal consistency and sensitivity to change.
Mental Health Department, S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, TO, Italy.
Luca
L
Ostacoli
Massimo
M
Costantini
Monica
M
Beccaro
Monica
M
Dellai
Gabriella
G
Gorzegno
Rocco Luigi
RL
Picci
Erica
E
Sguazzotti
Alfredo
A
Berruti
Riccardo
R
Torta
Pier Maria
PM
Furlan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000556:secondary; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000556:secondary; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires