The quality of life of Brazilian patients in palliative care: validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 PAL (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Brazilian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 PAL (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) to be used in patients with cancer in palliative care.

Methods: One hundred four outpatients with advanced cancer were recruited in Hospital das Clinicas--University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Results: The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that Cronbach-α is ≥0.7 except for fatigue (α = 0.58). Convergent validity was shown by the correlation observed between the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL dimensions with the EORTC QLQ-C30, Brief Pain Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. The EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL detected significant differences in the performance status, supporting known-group validity.

Conclusions: Our data show that EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL is a brief, useful, and valid tool for assessing the quality of life of Brazilian patients in palliative care.