HEAD AND NECK CANCER: VALIDATION OF THE QLQ-H & N35 QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE
Validación estadística del cuestionario QLQ-H&N35 en pacientes con cáncer de cabeza y cuello, Instituto Nacional del Cáncer
Author
Carcamo, Marcela; Instituto Nacional del Cáncer
Universidad de los Andes
Campo, Valentina
Behrmann, Daniela
Celedón, Claudia
Alvear, Álvaro
Vásquez, Pablo
Araya, Cristóbal
Abstract
Background: Head and neck cancer affects esthetic and anatomical parameters, causing pain and functional impotence, affecting vital functions such as eating and breathing, hampering the quality of life of patients. EORTC - QLQ - C30 questionnaire with its supplementary module QLQ - H & N35 evaluates the quality of life of these patients. Aim: To statistically validate the QLQ-H & N35 questionnaire in patients with head and neck cancer. Material and methods: In a cross-sectional study, we studied patients with head and neck cancer who attended a rehabilitation unit. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's ? and validity was determined by the diagnostic efficiency of the QLQ-H & N35 scale as compared with the SF-36 quality of life survey. A Receiver Operational Characteristic (ROC) curve was generated. Results: The Cronbach's ? global internal consistency of the questionnaire was > 0.70 and its discrimination capacity was 74.2%, which are considered acceptable. Conclusions: These results confirm the statistical validity of the QLQ-H & N35 questionnaire, specifically for patients with head and neck cancer in Chile. Background: Head and neck cancer affects esthetic and anatomical parameters, causing pain and functional impotence, affecting vital functions such as eating and breathing, hampering the quality of life of patients. EORTC - QLQ - C30 questionnaire with its supplementary module QLQ - H & N35 evaluates the quality of life of these patients. Aim: To statistically validate the QLQ-H & N35 questionnaire in patients with head and neck cancer. Material and methods: In a cross-sectional study, we studied patients with head and neck cancer who attended a rehabilitation unit. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's ? and validity was determined by the diagnostic efficiency of the QLQ-H & N35 scale as compared with the SF-36 quality of life survey. A Receiver Operational Characteristic (ROC) curve was generated. Results: The Cronbach's ? global internal consistency of the questionnaire was > 0.70 and its discrimination capacity was 74.2%, which are considered acceptable. Conclusions: These results confirm the statistical validity of the QLQ-H & N35 questionnaire, specifically for patients with head and neck cancer in Chile.