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A cross‐cultural convergent parallel mixed methods study of what makes a cancer‐related symptom or functional health problem clinically important
Author(s) -
Giesinger Johannes M.,
Aaronson Neil K.,
Arraras Juan I.,
Efficace Fabio,
Groenvold Mogens,
Kieffer Jacobien M.,
Loth Fanny L.,
Petersen Morten Aa.,
Ramage John,
Tomaszewski Krzysztof A.,
Young Teresa,
Holzner Bernhard
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.4548
Subject(s) - everyday life , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , set (abstract data type) , health care , health professionals , psychology , family medicine , clinical psychology , nursing , political science , computer science , law , economics , programming language , economic growth
Objective In this study, we investigated what makes a symptom or functional impairment clinically important, that is, relevant for a patient to discuss with a health care professional (HCP). This is the first part of a European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group project focusing on the development of thresholds for clinical importance for the EORTC QLQ‐C30 questionnaire and its corresponding computer‐adaptive version. Methods We conducted interviews with cancer patients and HCPs in 6 European countries. Participants were asked to name aspects of a symptom or problem that make it clinically important and to provide importance ratings for a predefined set of aspects (eg, need for help and limitations of daily functioning). Results We conducted interviews with 83 cancer patients (mean age, 60.3 y; 50.6% men) and 67 HCPs. Participants related clinical importance to limitations of everyday life (patients, 65.1%; HCPs, 77.6%), the emotional impact of a symptom/problem (patients, 53.0%; HCPs, 64.2%), and duration/frequency (patients, 51.8%; HCPs, 49.3%). In the patient sample, importance ratings were highest for worries by partner or family, limitations in everyday life, and need for help from the medical staff. Health care professionals rated limitations in everyday life and need for help from the medical staff to be most important. Conclusions Limitations in everyday life, need for (medical) help, and emotional impact on the patient or family/partner were found to be relevant aspects of clinical importance. Based on these findings, we will define anchor items for the development of thresholds for clinical importance for the EORTC measures in a Europe‐wide field study.