Development and validation of an instrument for the measurement of health-related quality of life based on view of traditional chinese medicine perspective.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to develop and validate an instrument for the measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) based on view of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).


METHODS
Six domains of questions, five questions for each domain were developed about general health, and health of five major viscera according to TCM theory to measure the HRQoL.


METHODS
149 patients participated in this study and all of them were interviewed in the TCM clinic of a medical center.


METHODS
When interviewing, these patients' health conditions of the five viscera were rated by a TCM physician without knowledge of the patient's answers. A telephone interview was conducted one week later as a retest.


METHODS
Test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), and the ability to differentiate the health conditions in each domain of the patients were assessed.


RESULTS
The test-retest reliability coefficients of the six domains ranged from 0.46 for spleen to 0.69 for liver-male and kidney. The internal consistency coefficients of the six domains varied from 0.38 for spleen to 0.72 for heart. All scales except that of liver for females could significantly classify different health conditions (evidence of abnormality) assessed by TCM physicians. Ten factors were identified through factor analysis. Some items were found to be correlated with more than one domain. Most domains in the questionnaire had fair test-retest reliability and fair to good internal consistency, and could differentiate patients' health conditions. The low internal consistency of the spleen scale and the inter-related scale structures needs further evaluation.
Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan.
Hen-Hong
HH
Chang
Department of Public Health and Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Wei-Chu
WC
Chie
Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group, Division of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan.
Yung-Hsin
YH
Chin
Family Medicine Division, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.
Ching-Ping
CP
Hsu
Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group, Division of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan.
Tsang-Wu
TW
Liu
Center of Excellence for Cancer Research, WanFang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
Jacqueline
J
Whang-Peng
Quality of life; Traditional Chinese Medicine; Validation