Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A validation study of the domains of the core EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire

  • Research Papers
  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A cohort study was conducted to investigate the construct validity of the domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30 (European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire). Ninety-six patients undergoing chemotherapy at the Kingston Regional Cancer Centre, Kingston, Canada were given the EORTC QLQ-C30 and two out of four comparison scales; the Sickness Impact Profile, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire and the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System, to complete during their clinic visits. Using the multitrait-multimethod matrix to examine relationships, the Spearman ranked correlation coefficients of similar and dissimilar domains between the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the comparison scales were compared. The EORTC QLQ-C30 domains of pain and physical and role functioning performed well in that they converged and diverged appropriately with the other instruments. The domain of psychological functioning had strong associations with domains thought to be dissimilar (social interaction and fatigue). Social interaction and financial impact diverged across dissimilar domains. This lack of specificity may relate to question wording. The symptom domain had strong associations with other domains across the comparison scales. This study shows that the domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30 have substantial construct validity in the multidimensional assessment of the quality of life of cancer patients and identifies where further work is required.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organization. The Constitution of the World Health Organization. WHO Chronicles 1947; 1(29). In: Aaronson, NK Quality of life assessment in clinical trials: methodologic issues. Controlled Clin Trials 1989; 10: 195S–208S.

  2. AaronsonNK, BullingerM, AhmedzaiS. A modular approach to quality of life assessment in cancer clinical trials. Rec Res Cancer Res, 1988, 111: 213.

    Google Scholar 

  3. SpilkerB, ed. Quality of Life Assessment in Clinical Trials. New York: Raven Press, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  4. DeHaesJCJM, VanKnippernbergFCE. The quality of life of cancer patients: a review of the literature. Soc Sci Med 1985; 20: 809–817.

    Google Scholar 

  5. OchsJ, MulhernR, KunL. Quality-of-life assessment in cancer patients. Am J Clin Oncol 1988; 11: 415–421.

    Google Scholar 

  6. MoinpourCM, FeiglP, MetchB, HaydenKA, MeyskensFLJr, CrowleyJ. Quality of life endpoints in cancer clinical trials: review and recommendations. J Natl Cancer Inst 1989; 81: 485–495.

    Google Scholar 

  7. WareJE. Standard for validating health measures: definition and content. J Chronic Dis 1987; 40: 473–480.

    Google Scholar 

  8. MaguireP, SelbyP. Assessing quality of life in cancer patients. Br J Cancer 1989; 60: 437–440.

    Google Scholar 

  9. AaronsonNK, AhmedzaiS, BullingerM, et al. The EORTC core quality of life questionnaire: interim results of an international field study. In: OsobaD (ed.) Effect of Cancer on Quality of Life Boston; CRC Press, 1991: 185–203.

    Google Scholar 

  10. AaronsonNK, AhmedzaiS, BergmanB, et al. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30: a quality-of-life instrument for use in international clinical trials in oncology. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993; 85: 365–376.

    Google Scholar 

  11. McDowellI, NewellC. Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires. Oxford University Press: New York, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  12. SelbyP. Measuring the quality of life of patients with cancer. In: WalkerSR (ed.). Quality of Life: Assessment and Applications. Lancaster: MTP Press Limited, 1988: 181–203.

    Google Scholar 

  13. GanzPA, SchagCC, ChengHL. Assessing the quality of life—a study in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. J Clin Epidemiol 1990; 43: 75–86.

    Google Scholar 

  14. HeinrichRL, SchagCC, GanzPA. Living with cancer: the cancer inventory of problem situations. J Clin Psychol 1984; 40: 972–980.

    Google Scholar 

  15. SchagCC, HeinrichRL, GanzPA. Cancer inventory of problem situations: an instrument for assessing cancer patients' rehabilitation needs. J Psychosoc Oncol 1983; 1: 11–24.

    Google Scholar 

  16. GanzPA, SchagCA, LeeJJ, et al. The CARES: a generic measure of health-related quality of life for patients with cancer. Qual Life Res 1992; 1: 19–29.

    Google Scholar 

  17. SchipperH, ClinchJ, McMurrayA, LevittM. Measuring the quality of life of cancer patients: the functional living index-cancer: development and validation. J Clin Oncol 1984; 2: 472–483.

    Google Scholar 

  18. MelzackR. The McGill Pain Questionnaire: major properties and scoring methods. Pain 1975; 1: 277–294.

    Google Scholar 

  19. WilkieDJ, SavedraMC, HolzemerWL, TeslerMD, PaulSM. Use of the McGill Pain Questionnaire to measure pain: a meta-analysis. Nurs Res 1990; 30: 36–41.

    Google Scholar 

  20. GreenwaldHP. The specificity of quality of life measures among the seriously ill. Med Care 1987; 25: 642–651.

    Google Scholar 

  21. GoldbergD, WilliamsP. A User's Guide to the General Health Questionnaire. NFER-Nelson: Great Britain: 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  22. AlthauserRP, HeberleinTA. Validity and the multitrait-multimethod matrix. In: BorgattaEF (ed.) Sociological Methodology. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Inc.: 1970: 151–169.

    Google Scholar 

  23. MorrowGR. Clinical trials in psychosocial medicine: methodological and statistical considerations. Part III. Assessing measurement techniques in psychosocial oncology. Cancer Treat Rep 1980; 64: 451–456.

    Google Scholar 

  24. CampbellDT, FiskeDW. Convergent and discriminant validation by the multitrait-multimethod matrix. Psychol Bull 1959; 56: 81–105.

    Google Scholar 

  25. PaulSR. Test for the equality of several correlation coefficients. Can J Stat 1989; 17: 217–227.

    Google Scholar 

  26. RosnerB. Fundamentals of Biostatistics. 3rd ed. Boston; Pws-Kent Publishing Company, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University at Kingston, 82-84 Barrie Street, K7L 3N6, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    H. E. Niezgoda

  2. Clinical Trials Group of the National Cancer Institute of Canada, Queen's University at Kingston, 82-84 Barrie Street, K7L 3N6, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    J. L. Pater

Authors
  1. H. E. Niezgoda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. L. Pater
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Niezgoda, H.E., Pater, J.L. A validation study of the domains of the core EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire. Qual Life Res 2, 319–325 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00449426

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00449426

Key words

Search

Navigation