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Quality of life in cancer patients in South Asia: psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in cancer patients with heterogeneous diagnoses

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Abstract

Background

The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was evaluated for its psychometric properties in a sample of cancer patients from the culturally distinct South Asian subcontinent, which accounts for a significant proportion of the global cancer burden.

Methods

Psychometric testing assessed the hypothesised scale structure, internal consistency, content and construct validity, and acceptability of the Sinhala version of the QLQ-C30 independently in two heterogeneous groups of cancer patients at pretreatment (N = 489) and during treatment (N = 343).

Results

Qualitative feedback from an expert panel assessing content validity recommended measuring family support during illness as an additional, culturally-relevant dimension of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Compliance was high (100%), with little missing data (0.11%). Multitrait scaling results supported the scale structure of the QLQ-C30, with the exception of the cognitive functioning scale, which was also the only scale that did not meet the 0.70 internal consistency criteria in either sample. Interscale correlations were of a moderate size, with conceptually related scales showing higher correlations. All scales were able to discriminate clearly between pre- and current treatment patients (P < 0.01), although results were less consistent when comparing groups formed on the basis of age and disease stage.

Conclusions

Overall psychometric results confirmed the QLQ-C30 as a reliable and valid questionnaire for assessing HRQL of cancer patients in Sri Lanka.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all patients who participated in this study, the officials of the Ministry of Healthcare, and the management and staff of the following institutions for their cooperation: National Cancer Institute, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, Castle Street Hospital for Women, De Zoysa Maternity Hospital and Dental Institute of Colombo. The dedication of the following persons during the translation procedure is gratefully appreciated: Wasantha Gunathunga, Anil Samaranayake, Thusitha Malalasekara, Mohan Seevaratnam, Steve Cockeram, and Karen West (Translation Coordinator at EORTC QLU). Neil Thalagala is acknowledged for his statistical assistance. The study was funded by the World Health Organization Country Office for Sri Lanka through Agreement for Performance of Work no. SE/SRL OSD 001/RB 04/EC 1/P1/A2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, No 231, De Saram Place, Colombo, 10, Sri Lanka

    Harindra Jayasekara

  2. Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic, and Analytic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 2, 723 Swanston Street, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia

    Harindra Jayasekara

  3. Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Kynsey Road, Colombo, 8, Sri Lanka

    Lalini C. Rajapaksa

  4. Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Neil K. Aaronson

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  1. Harindra Jayasekara
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  2. Lalini C. Rajapaksa
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  3. Neil K. Aaronson
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Correspondence to Harindra Jayasekara.

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Jayasekara, H., Rajapaksa, L.C. & Aaronson, N.K. Quality of life in cancer patients in South Asia: psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in cancer patients with heterogeneous diagnoses. Qual Life Res 17, 783–791 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9345-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9345-2

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