title: Psychometric assessment of the MSAS-SF and the FACIT-Fatigue Scale in Spanish-speaking patients with cancer in Uruguay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several instruments have been developed to assess the symptom burden and fatigue produced by cancer and its treatment. However, little research has been conducted in Latin American Spanish-speaking patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish versions of two commonly used patient-reported outcome measures, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF), and the fatigue subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the FACIT-Fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  A classic psychometric approach was followed to assess the reliability and validity of the instruments. Responsiveness to change and effect sizes were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The translated version of the MSAS-SF proved to be comprehensible and easy to complete. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients ranged from acceptable to excellent for the MSAS-SF subscale scores and the FACIT-Fatigue. There was evidence of convergent validity between the physical and the psychological subscales of the instruments. The MSAS-SF could discriminate among the known groups according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology performance status and level of anemia, and showed responsiveness to change of symptom burden at two times of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that both the MSAS-SF and the FACIT-Fatigue have good reliability and validity for use with patients with cancer in Uruguay. When used simultaneously, these instruments may provide a complete picture of the impact of cancer and its treatment on the patient's quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: jdapueto@hc.edu.uy.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dapueto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: María del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francolino
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Unit, Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic School of Medicine, Montevideo, Uruguay; State Administration of Health Services, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014175:Translating; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014583:Uruguay
keywords: Cancer; FACIT-Fatigue; FACT-G; MSAS-SF; chemotherapy; fatigue; quality of life; symptom burden