The quality of life of Brazilian patients in palliative care: validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 PAL (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL).
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to validate the Brazilian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 PAL (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) to be used in patients with cancer in palliative care.


METHODS
One hundred four outpatients with advanced cancer were recruited in Hospital das Clinicas--University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.


RESULTS
The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that Cronbach-α is ≥0.7 except for fatigue (α = 0.58). Convergent validity was shown by the correlation observed between the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL dimensions with the EORTC QLQ-C30, Brief Pain Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. The EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL detected significant differences in the performance status, supporting known-group validity.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL is a brief, useful, and valid tool for assessing the quality of life of Brazilian patients in palliative care.
University of Guarulhos-UnG, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil, natalia_abouhalanunes@hotmail.com.
Natália Abou Hala
NA
Nunes
D001938:Brazil; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010045:Outpatients; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards