Developing a self-rating measure of patient competence in the context of oncology: a multi-center study

Concepts of patient competence (PC) are being increasingly used, but seldom clearly defined in the context of shared medical treatment decision making and coping with cancer. The meaning of such concepts should therefore be clarified, and measures developed that permit the assessment of different facets of this patient characteristic. Consequently, this study attempted to contribute to the definition and measurement of PC.

Employing literature reviews and qualitative interviews, we developed a working definition of PC in the context of cancer from which we designed a self-rating measure of this patient characteristic that was then tested for validity and reliability in a sample of N=536 patients with cancer.

Using factor analyses, we developed five problem- and three emotion-focused subscales that measure distinct facets of PC with satisfactory reliability. Additional analyses provide preliminary evidence of the instruments' validity.

This study represents an essential first step in developing a reliable self-rating measure of PC in the context of cancer. Although further refinement of this measure is clearly required, it provides a preliminary methodological basis for empirically investigating the determinants and potential health effects of PC.