Psychometric Validation of the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire

PurposeTo assess the domain structure and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ) and the relation between the CTSQ and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).MethodsThree hundred sixty-one individuals with breast, colorectal, lung cancer, or melanoma who had received in the last 6 months or were currently receiving more than one cycle of chemo, biological, or hormonal therapy completed the 21-item CTSQ, with a random subsample of 88 patients completing it again 1 week later. Participants also completed quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and other self-reported questions on each occasion. Demographics, ECOG performance status, and clinical information were collected. CTSQ responses were submitted to multitrait analyses and exploratory factor analysis. Psychometric properties and the correlations between the CTSQ and the Quality of Life Questionnaire—Core 30 (QLQ-C30) were evaluated.ResultsAnalyses revealed three domains with good psychometric properties: Feelings about Side Effects, Satisfaction with Therapy, and Expectations of Therapy. Correlations with the QLQ-C30 domains were low to moderate.ConclusionThe CTSQ is a newly developed 16-item patient-reported measure with strong psychometric properties and constructs not captured by the QLQ-C30. It can be used to evaluate cancer patients' experiences with intravenous and/or oral chemo, biological, and hormonal therapies.