A patient-reported outcome instrument to assess the impact of oropharyngeal mucositis on health-related quality of life: a longitudinal psychometric evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
An oropharyngeal mucositis (OM)-specific health-related quality of life measure (OMQoL) has been developed to assess the impact of OM from the perspective of patients. The current paper describes the convergent, concurrent, and known-group validities and responsiveness in relation to clinical and health outcomes.


METHODS
A multicenter approach was used, and 137 patients treated with different cancer therapies completed the OMQoL and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire [EORTC QLQ-C30 (Ch)] twice over a 4-week period or weekly over a 7-week period, along with concurrent measures of OM and its related symptoms.


RESULTS
The OM-related symptom scores correlated highly with the OMQoL, confirming its convergent validity (r = -0.724--0.971, p < 0.01). Moderate correlations between the subscales of the OMQoL and EORTC QLQ-C30 (Ch) were indicative of good concurrent validity (r = 0.450-0.724, p < 0.01). The OMQoL was able to distinguish between patients with different severities of OM (p < 0.01) and types of cancer therapy (p < 0.01), providing evidence of good known-group validity. The changes in effects sizes corresponding to changes in OM curves indicate that the OMQoL is responsive to changes in OM status.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the OMQoL has very good psychometric properties and can be used as a health-related quality of life assessment for cancer patients with OM. Much work is still needed in strengthening the psychometric qualities and interpretability of the OMQoL by demonstrating its ability to detect outcome changes over time.
Cheng
Karis K F
KK
The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hongkong, Room732, Esther Lee Building, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China. kariskwong@cuhk.edu.hk
Leung
S F
SF
Liang
Raymond H S
RH
Tai
Josepha W M
JW
Yeung
Rebecca M W
RM
Thompson
David R
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052016:Mucositis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult