[Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Detection of Emotional Distress Scale in cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and alleviate the emotional distress suffered by advanced cancer patients, simple screening methods that can be easily used by health staff and easily understood by patients are required. The objective of this multicenter study was to analyze the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Detection of Emotional Distress (DED) scale in advanced cancer patients attending a palliative care unit.


METHODS
The DED scale was administered to 105 advanced cancer patients attended in five palliative care units in Catalonia (Spain).


RESULTS
A total of 58.3% of the patients had moderate to severe emotional distress, a result similar to those of other scales such as the emotional thermometer. Statistical analysis of ROC curves suggested that the cutoff for the detection of emotional distress by the DED scale was equivalent to a score of ≥ 9 points, with a sensitivity and specificity above 75%.


CONCLUSIONS
The DED scale is useful and easy to use in the identification of emotional distress in advanced cancer patients attended in palliative care units. This scale could also be applied in other patients and health care fields, such as patients with chronic diseases, home care, and primary care.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, España. joaquin.limonero@uab.cat
Joaquín T
JT
Limonero
Dolors
D
Mateo
Jorge
J
Maté-Méndez
Jesús
J
González-Barboteo
Ramón
R
Bayés
Montserrat
M
Bernaus
Carme
C
Casas
Montserrat
M
López
Agustina
A
Sirgo
Silvia
S
Viel
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D011594:Psychometrics; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology