Work

Screening Properties of the Diagnostic Criteria for Cancer-Related Fatigue

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Within the theoretical framework of the ICD diagnostic criteria of cancer-related fatigue, we aim to investigate how those criteria can be used for screening purposes. METHODS: Fatigue was assessed in a mixed sample of 1,225 cancer patients during their stay in a rehabilitation clinic using four different fatigue measures and the diagnostic criteria (Criterion A; DC-A). Psychometric evaluations (e.g., acceptance, reliability, validity, item analyses) were conducted for the sum score and for all items of the diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: A total of 678 (57.1%) patients tested positive according to the DC-A. The sum score of the DC-A had good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) and validity, corresponded closely with other fatigue scales, and, with less than 1% missing values, showed a high degree of patients' acceptance. The highest accuracy (approx. 0.80) and Youden indices (>0.55) were found for the items "Difficulties completing daily tasks" (A9), "Struggle to overcome inactivity" (A7), "Decreased motivation or interests" (A4), and "Unrefreshing sleep" (A6). CONCLUSION: The DC-A proved to be a well-accepted, easy to use, and reliable tool for measuring the severity of fatigue. In this paper, we make suggestions for the use of single items of the DC-A as a short and economical screening tool.

Source: Oncology Research and Treatment

DOI: 10.1159/000501128

Authors: Susanne Kuhnt, Michael Friedrich, Thomas Schulte, David Cella, Andreas Hinz

Institutions: Leipzig University, Klinik Bad Oexen, Northwestern University

Language: English

Topic: Cancer survivorship and care

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Deutsche Krebshilfe