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

Lo, Christopher; Burman, Debika; Hales, Sarah; Swami, Nadia; Rodin, Gary; Zimmermann, Camilla

doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2009.09.003

« Previous Next »European Journal of Cancer
Volume 45, Issue 18 , Pages 3182-3188, December 2009

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

Christopher Lo
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
Debika Burman
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
Sarah Hales
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada
Nadia Swami
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
Gary Rodin
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada
Camilla Zimmermann
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology and Haematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
- Corresponding author: Address: Palliative Care Services, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Hospital, 610 University Ave., 16-744, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2M9. Tel.: +1 (416) 946 4501x3477; fax: +1 (416) 946 2866.

Received 21 June 2009; received in revised form 29 August 2009; accepted 4 September 2009. published online 28 September 2009.

Abstract

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).