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Related Experiment Videos

The equivalence and difference between the English and Chinese versions of two major, cancer-specific, health-related

Yin-Bun Cheung1, Julian Thumboo, Cynthia Goh

  • 1Division of Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Sciences, National Cancer Centre, Singapore. cheungyb@graduate.hku.hk

Cancer
|November 6, 2004
PubMed
Summary

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The English and Chinese versions of key cancer quality of life questionnaires are comparable for bilingual patients. Minor modifications are recommended for one specific question to ensure full equivalence in cancer patient-reported outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Health Outcomes Research
  • Linguistic Validation

Background:

  • Cancer centers serve diverse populations with varying primary languages.
  • The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) are crucial for assessing patient well-being.
  • Previous studies have not established the comparability between English and Chinese versions of these widely used cancer questionnaires.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the equivalence of the English and Chinese versions of FACT-G v4 and EORTC QLQ-C30 v3.
  • To determine if data from bilingual cancer patients can be pooled regardless of the questionnaire language used.

Main Methods:

  • 1136 ethnic Chinese cancer patients in Singapore completed either the English or Chinese version of the questionnaires based on preference.

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  • Multiple regression analysis was employed to adjust for demographic and health characteristics.
  • Equivalence was established if 90% confidence intervals of adjusted mean differences fell within +/- 0.25 standard deviations.

    • Main Results:

    • The English and Chinese FACT-G (Total, Emotional, Functional Well Being) and EORTC QLQ-C30 (Physical, Emotional Functioning) scales demonstrated equivalence.
    • Other scale differences were minor, not exceeding 0.5 standard deviations.
    • A specific question in the FACT-G Physical Well Being scale regarding 'lack of energy' showed significant differences between language versions.

    Conclusions:

    • Data from English and Chinese respondents are poolable, allowing either questionnaire version for bilingual patients.
    • The study recommends revising the 'lack of energy' question in the FACT-G Physical Well Being scale for improved accuracy.
    • Ensuring linguistic and cultural equivalence of patient-reported outcome measures is vital in multicultural oncology settings.