Related Experiment Videos
Development and validation of the neck dissection impairment index: a quality of life measure
Rodney J Taylor1, Judith C Chepeha, Theodoros N Teknos
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Objectives:
To validate a health-related quality-of-life (QOL) instrument for patients following neck dissection and to identify the factors that affect QOL following neck dissection.
Design:
Cross-sectional validation study.
Setting:
The outpatient clinic of a tertiary care cancer center.
Patients:
Convenience sample of 54 patients previously treated for head and neck cancer who underwent a selective neck dissection or modified radical neck dissection (64 total neck dissections). Patients had a minimum postoperative convalescence of 11 months. Thirty-two underwent accessory nerve-sparing modified radical neck dissection, and 32 underwent selective neck dissection.
Main Outcome Measure:
A 10-item, self-report instrument, the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII), was developed and validated. Reliability was evaluated with test-retest correlation and internal consistency using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. Convergent validity was assessed using the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Constant Shoulder Scale, a shoulder function test. Multiple variable regression was used to determine variables that most affected QOL following neck dissection
Results:
The 10-item NDII test-retest correlation was 0.91 (P<.001) with an internal consistency Cronbach alpha coefficient of.95. The NDII correlated with the Constant Shoulder Scale (r = 0.85, P<.001) and with the SF-36 physical functioning (r = 0.50, P<.001) and role-physical functioning (r = 0.60, P<.001) domains. Using multiple variable regression, the variables that contributed most to QOL score were patient's age and weight, radiation treatment, and neck dissection type.
Conclusions:
The NDII is a valid, reliable instrument for assessing neck dissection impairment. Patient's age, weight, radiation treatment, and neck dissection type were important factors that affect QOL following neck dissection.