title: Quality of life measures in Italian neurosurgical patients: validity of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the validity, reliability and factor structure of the Italian version of the EUROHIS-QOL (European Health Interview Survey-Quality of Life) 8-item index in patients who are potential candidates for neurosurgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Patients completed the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index, a disability and general well-being questionnaire; the Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS) was used as a general measure of functional status. Factor analysis was used to confirm the one-factor structure of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total correlation and inter-item correlation. Construct validity was assessed with Pearson's coefficient (expected to be below 0.70) and known-group analysis, dividing patients between those KPS >90 and KPS ≤90 (the latter expected to report lower QoL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one-factor structure was partly confirmed, with two items having low loadings. Cronbach's alpha was 0.78; item-total correlations were below 0.70; and average inter-item correlation was 0.309. Correlations were all significant and moderate; known-group analysis shows that QoL scores were lower in patients with active symptoms (KPS ≤90).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings partly confirm the factor structure and reliability of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index, which suggests that it may be a useful and straightforward quality of life measurement technique in neurosurgical departments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery II, Neurological Institute C. Besta IRCCS Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schiavolin
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Acerbi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cusin
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiariti
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visintini
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broggi
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*