Psychosocial morbidity in prostate cancer: I. Design of a new questionnaire

To design a questionnaire capable of measuring psychosocial morbidity in patients with prostate cancer and in their partners.

Issues to be covered in the questionnaire were determined by discussion among professionals, a literature review and semi-structured interviews with a group of seven patients and their partners. The potential issues were analysed and condensed, then re-presented to a further group of professionals, and to 10 patients and partners for comment and amendment. This process aimed to confirm the completeness and relevance of the list of issues. Questions were then constructed around the final list of issues and the questionnaire adjusted continually while testing on patients, until it was completed easily.

The questionnaire consisted of 10 items; three items related to the general threat of cancer (concern about the diagnosis itself, fear of the future and difficulty dealing with the emotional response to the disease). Two items covered social and role functioning and there were five items to determine the severity of psychological morbidity caused by pain, urinary symptoms, treatment, physical limitation and sexual dysfunction. The questionnaire appeared to cover those areas of morbidity most consistently raised by patients and partners; it was also rapidly and easily completed by most respondents.

The questionnaire constructed may be easily applied as part of routine clinical practice; it addresses aspects of psychosocial morbidity related to prostate cancer in patients and their partners. Although it appears to have content validity, further psychometric testing is required.