title: Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) is a shortened version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, developed for use in advanced cancer patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL to determine if this tool can be used to evaluate Korean patients with cancer who receive palliative care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter, cross-sectional survey was performed in palliative care units and hospices in Korea from September to October 2009. A total of 102 patients with cancer completed the questionnaires that included the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The compliance rate was high, with the missing rate for each item ranging from 0% to 7.8% (mean 3.1%). A multitrait scaling analysis revealed good convergent and discriminant validity, with only three scaling errors. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.65 to 0.89. The questionnaire discriminated among patient subgroups with different clinical profiles (e.g., performance status and degree of oral intake), thereby demonstrating the clinical validity of this tool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL is a reliable and valid instrument with regard to its psychometric properties. This tool is suitable for measuring quality of life, particularly with regard to physical aspects, in Korean cancer patients who receive palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Meidicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Mitsunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Young Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Baik
authors.forename: Ha Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Jeanno
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hea-Ja
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires