Psychometric analysis of the Korean version of the high-dose chemotherapy specific quality of life questionnaire module from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-HDC29).
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer high-dose chemotherapy specific quality of life questionnaire module (EORTC QLQ-HDC29) when implemented with Korean patients by conducting a multicenter, longitudinal study in three Korean hospitals.


METHODS
A total of 226 patients who scheduled to receive the HDC followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were enrolled. The patients were asked to complete three questionnaires [the EORTC Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), QLQ-HDC29, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation] at four points in time: before HSCT and 100, 180, and 365 days after HSCT. Standard validity and reliability analyses were performed.


RESULTS
Internal consistency of the QLQ-HDC29 was generally acceptable, as tested by Cronbach's α, except for the scales body image and the inpatient issues. Cronbach's α values for the Korean version of the QLQ-HDC29 were almost in accordance with results of the original version, except for the scales body image (lower to the original QLQ-HDC29, α = 0.73) and impact on family (higher to the original QLQ-HDC29, α = 0.52). Known-group comparison analyses showed significantly higher symptom burdens in patients with poor performance status or graft versus host disease (similar to the original QLQ-HDC29). The QLQ-HDC29 indicated good convergent and discriminant validity and showed responsiveness to changes in line with a clinical course over time after HSCT.


CONCLUSIONS
The QLQ-HDC29 is generally reliable and adequate to assess QoL in Korean patients undergoing HDC followed by HSCT.
College of Pharmacy, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea.
Kyung Im
KI
Kim
College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae Hyun
JH
Kim
College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Eun Hee
EH
Ji
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Ho
JH
Jang
Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jin Seok
JS
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Hyun
JH
Kwon
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Inho
I
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Seonyang
S
Park
Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre - Leeds, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
Galina
G
Velikova
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ssysmc@snu.ac.kr.|Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ssysmc@snu.ac.kr.|Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ssysmc@snu.ac.kr.
Sung-Soo
SS
Yoon
College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. jmoh@snu.ac.kr.|Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. jmoh@snu.ac.kr.
Jung Mi
JM
Oh
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; High-dose chemotherapy; QLQ-HDC29; Quality of life; Validation