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Multicenter Study
. 2011 May;19(5):657-66.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-010-0878-x. Epub 2010 Apr 30.

Psychometric properties of the Perform Questionnaire: a brief scale for assessing patient perceptions of fatigue in cancer

Eva Baró  1 , Joan Carulla, Javier Cassinello, Ramón Colomer, Jesús García Mata, Pere Gascón, Jose Antonio Gasquet, Cesar A Rodríguez, Vicente Valentín
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Psychometric properties of the Perform Questionnaire: a brief scale for assessing patient perceptions of fatigue in cancer

Eva Baró et al. Support Care Cancer. 2011 May.

Abstract

Purpose: Fatigue is a symptom with a relevant impact on the daily lives of cancer patients and is gaining importance as an outcome measure. The Perform Questionnaire (PQ) is a new scale originally developed among Spanish-speaking patients for the assessment of perception and beliefs about fatigue in cancer patients.

Methods: An observational longitudinal multicenter study was carried out on cancer patients with fatigue. Fatigue-specific measures (FACT-F), generic health-related quality-of-life measures (NHP), and PQ were gathered at baseline and 3 months later. Feasibility, reliability (internal consistency and test-retest), validity, sensitivity to change, and minimally important differences were analysed.

Results: Four hundred thirty-seven patients were included in the study: 60.5% were women, the mean age was 59.1 years, the mean time from diagnosis was 2.2 years, 33.6% of patients had breast cancer, and 29.1% had anaemia (haemoglobin (Hb) <11 g/dL). Low levels of missing items and ceiling/floor effects (<10%) were found. The overall Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.94 and 0.83, respectively. The PQ score was associated with fatigue intensity, the need for a caregiver, and the Hb level. Its association was stronger with the FACT-F than with non-specific health measures (NHP). The PQ showed good sensitivity to change for improved and worsening health status. A minimally important difference of 3.5 was estimated in patients whose Hb level had improved by at least 1 g/dL.

Conclusions: The PQ measured the attitudes and beliefs about fatigue among cancer patients in clinical practice and showed good psychometric properties among Spanish-speaking patients.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pearson Correlation between the Perform Questionnaire and the FACT-F, NHP-22 and Karnofsky scores (N=437)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect sizes obtained for the Perform Questionnaire among patients who reported on improvement or deterioration, respectively, in the "health status transition item"
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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