title: Development and evaluation of a questionnaire for assessment of health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop, validate, and evaluate a questionnaire (Cats' Assessment Tool for Cardiac Health [CATCH] questionnaire) for assessing health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  275 cats with cardiac disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire was developed on the basis of clinical signs of cardiac disease in cats. A CATCH score was calculated by summing responses to questionnaire items; possible scores ranged from 0 to 80. For questionnaire validation, owners of 75 cats were asked to complete the questionnaire (10 owners completed the questionnaire twice). Disease severity was assessed with the International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council (ISACHC) classification for cardiac disease. Following validation, the final questionnaire was administered to owners of the remaining 200 cats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Internal consistency of the questionnaire was good, and the CATCH score was significantly correlated with ISACHC classification. For owners that completed the questionnaire twice, scores were significantly correlated. During the second phase of the study, the CATCH score ranged from 0 to 74 (median, 7) and was significantly correlated with ISACHC classification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggested that the CATCH questionnaire is a valid and reliable method for assessing health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease. Further research is warranted to test the tool's sensitivity to changes in medical treatment and its potential role as a clinical and research tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. Lisa.Freeman@Tufts.edu
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: Kristin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Barret
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bulmer
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: MacGregor
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Laste
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Malakoff
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Trafny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*