Measuring Quality of Life in Brazilian Children with Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Ana C Scarpelli, Saul M Paiva, Isabela A Pordeus, Maria L Ramos-Jorge, James W Varni, Paul J Allison
Primary Institution: Federal University of Minas Gerais
Hypothesis
The study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module cross-culturally adapted for use in Brazil.
Conclusion
The Brazilian version of the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module exhibited good measurement properties regarding reproducibility and construct validity.
Supporting Evidence
- The PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module showed good test-retest reliability with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.69 to 0.90.
- Internal consistency was adequate with Cronbach's alpha values between 0.68 and 0.88.
- The module effectively distinguished between children in treatment and those off treatment based on their reported quality of life.
Takeaway
This study created a questionnaire to help understand how children with cancer feel about their health and quality of life in Brazil.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 190 Brazilian families of children aged 2 to 18 years with cancer, using convenience sampling from pediatric hospitals.
Potential Biases
The study relied on convenience sampling, which may introduce selection bias.
Limitations
The study's sample size was limited due to the low prevalence of childhood cancer, and results may not be generalizable across Brazil's diverse population.
Participant Demographics
65.8% of the children/adolescents were male, with a majority belonging to lower economic classes.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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