The FAMCARE-Patient scale: measuring satisfaction with care of outpatients with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To provide confirmatory results concerning the psychometric properties of a measure of satisfaction with oncology care for use with advanced stage cancer patients, and test its sensitivity to change.

METHODS

We analysed data from 315 outpatients with advanced cancer participating in a randomised controlled trial of early palliative care intervention versus routine oncology care, and their caregivers. Patients completed a 16-item measure of patient satisfaction (FAMCARE-P16), based on the FAMCARE measure of family satisfaction with cancer care, and measures assessing interactions with healthcare providers, performance status and symptom burden. Caregivers completed the original FAMCARE measure. We used confirmatory factor analysis to test the patient satisfaction measure for a single-factor structure. To determine construct validity, we assessed correlations between patient satisfaction and the other patient and caregiver measures. To assess responsiveness to change, we repeated paired t-test analyses on the 13-item and 16-item scales for 150 patients participating in a phase II trial of palliative care effectiveness, in which the FAMCARE-P was measured at baseline, 1-week and 1-month after an outpatient palliative care intervention.

RESULTS

A reduced 13-item version of our measure (FAMCARE-P13) possessed a one-factor structure with high reliability. Patient satisfaction was correlated in predicted directions with physical distress, communication and relationship with healthcare providers, and caregiver satisfaction. There were statistically significant increases in patient satisfaction at 1 week (p<0.0001) and 1 month (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend the use of the FAMCARE-P13 to assess satisfaction with outpatient palliative care interventions of patients with advanced stage cancer.