Development
of a questionnaire encompassing indicators of distress:
A tool for use
with women in surgical continuity of care for breast cancer
Abstract
Purpose
Women
with breast cancer often experience significant distress. Currently,
there are no questionnaires aimed at identifying women's unique and
possible changing indicators for distress in surgical continuity of care
for breast cancer. We developed and tested three questionnaires
specifically for this use.
Methods and sample
We
first searched PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO to retrieve information on
previously described indicators. Next, we conducted a focus group
interview with 6 specialised nurses, who have extensive experience about
consequences of breast cancer for women in surgical continuity of care.
The questionnaire was tested on 18 women scheduled for breast cancer
surgery. Subsequently, the women were debriefed to gain knowledge about
comprehensibility, readability and relevance of items, and the time
needed to complete the questionnaire. After adjustment, the
questionnaires were field-tested concomitantly with a clinical study,
which both consisted of a survey and an interview study.
Key results
Three
multi-item questionnaires were developed specific to different time
points in surgical continuity of care. The questionnaires share a core
of statements divided into seven sub-scales: emotional and physical
situation, social condition, sexuality, body image, religion and
organisational factors. Besides the core of statements, each
questionnaire has different statements depending on the time point of
surgical continuity of care when it was to be responded to.
Conclusion
The
questionnaires contain comprehensive items that can identify indicators
for distress in individual women taking part in surgical continuity of
care. The items were understandable and the time used for filling in the
questionnaires was reasonable.
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