Psychometric evaluation of the German Version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey for Partners and Caregivers (SCNS-P&C-G) of cancer patients.
This study aimed for psychometric validation of the German version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey for Partners and Caregivers (SCNS-P&C-G). In- and outpatients with lung, urological and gastrointestinal cancer at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany and in each case one relevant caregiver were asked to complete a set of questionnaires assessing their unmet needs together with distress, depression, anxiety and caregiver strain. In addition, medical data of the patients were collected. Fully completed questionnaires were received from 188 pairs of patients and their caregivers. Using exploratory factor analysis, four domains of unmet needs were identified with an appropriate variance explanation (58.7%) and acceptable (>0.70) internal consistencies (α = 0.95 to 0.76) for each domain. Convergent validity was found with respect to significant positive correlations (>0.40) of the SCNS-P&C-G domains with caregivers' anxiety, depression and strain. Although poorer health status of the patient indicated more unmet caregiver needs, this finding was not consistent for all need domains. Overall, associations were only moderate to weak pointing out the necessity of a separate screening for caregivers' needs. The findings of this study support that the SCNS-P&C-G is an appropriate research instrument to assess caregivers' needs on different domains throughout the disease trajectory.
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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H
Sklenarova
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
M W
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1851-3747
MW
Haun
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
A
A
Krümpelmann
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
H-C
HC
Friederich
Department of Urology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany.
J
J
Huber
Thoraxklinik-Heidelberg gGmbH, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany.
M
M
Thomas
Heidelberg University Hospital, National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
E C
EC
Winkler
Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, The University of New South Wales, Liverpool BC, NSW, 1871, Australia.
A
A
Girgis
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar der TU München, 81675, München, Germany.
A
A
Dinkel
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
W
W
Herzog
Department of General Internal Medicine & Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
M
M
Hartmann
D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
cancer; carers; families; supportive care