Linguistic Validation of the Turkish Version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory - Head and Neck Cancer Module

Psychometric validation of the Chinese version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Head and Neck Module in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective

The Chinese version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory—Head and Neck Module (MDASI-HN-C) has been linguistically validated. However, its psychometric properties have not been established yet. The purpose of the study was to psychometrically validate the MDASI-HN-C in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods

130 Chinese NPC patients who were undergoing radiotherapy (RT) participated in this cross-sectional study. The content, convergent, and construct validity of the MDASI-HN-C were examined. The reliability of the instrument was tested by examining the internal consistency and test–retest reliability.

Results

Cronbach's α coefficients ranged from 0.85 to 0.91 for the three subscales of the MDASI-HN-C. The 3-day test–retest reliability was acceptable with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranged from 0.52 to 0.71. The scale content validity index (S-CVI) was satisfactory (0.97). Subscale scores of the MDASI-HN-C were negatively correlated with the total score of the Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Head and Neck Scale (FACT-H&N-C) as hypothesized (r ​= ​−0.484 to −0.563, all P ​< ​0.01). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two factors for the 13 core and another two for the nine HNC-specific items. Only one factor was generated for the six interference items.

Conclusions

The MDASI-HN-C shows desirable psychometric properties for evaluating symptom burden in NPC patients, which can be used in both clinical and research contexts.

Validation and Application of the Chinese Version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Gastrointestinal Cancer Module (MDASI-GI-C)

OBJECTIVES

To validate and use the Chinese Version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Gastrointestinal Cancer Module (MDASI-GI-C) to assess the symptom burden of Chinese-speaking patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

METHODS

In total, 527 patients with postoperative or advanced digestive tract tumors were enrolled in the trial, who had definitive diagnoses and different treatments in our cancer center. MDASI-GI-C was administered to these patients between February and December 2017. The item-scale correlations and internal consistency were evaluated. Construct validity was established by factor analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Cronbach's alpha of the symptom severity and interference subscales was 0.842 and 0.859, respectively. Construct validity revealed a four-factor structure. Known-group validity was established by comparing the MDASI-GI-C scores between patients having different Karnofsky Performance Status scores (≤70 or >70), which were observed to have significant differences. The overall mean subscale scores for the core and interference subscales were 1.63 ± 2.02 and 2.17 ± 2.34, respectively. Fatigue, disturbed sleep, and lack of appetite had the highest scores for most serious symptoms. No significant differences in age, working status, and educational level were found.

CONCLUSIONS

MDASI-GI-C is a reliable and valid tool for assessing cancer-related symptoms in Chinese-speaking patients with digestive tract tumors, facilitates the understanding of the common symptoms of patients with digestive tract tumors, and enables timely management of these symptoms. Cognitive debriefing demonstrated that the patients found MDASI-GI-C to be an easy-to-use and understandable instrument.