Translated COOP/WONCA charts found appropriate for use among Turkish and Moroccan ethnic minority cancer patients

(1) To translate and validate the COOP/WONCA charts in Turkish, Moroccan-Arabic, and Tarifit for use among ethnic minority cancer patients in the Netherlands, and (2) to determine the patient-proxy agreement for Dutch speaking proxies.

Ninety Turkish patients (with 36 proxies) and 79 Moroccan patients (with 21 proxies) participated in the study. Psychometric evaluation included analysis of feasibility, construct validity, known-groups validity, and responsiveness. Patient-proxy agreement was analyzed at the group and individual level.

Few missing items were observed. Evidence of construct validity based on comparisons with the SF-36 was relatively strong. Known-groups validity was observed using performance status, comorbidity, and gender as grouping variables, but not using disease stage or treatment status. Moderate responsiveness was observed in the Turkish sample, but not in the Moroccan group. Proxy-patient agreement at the group level was relatively high for all domains, except pain. Agreement at the individual level was poor.

The results provide relatively strong support for the use of the translated COOP/WONCA charts. However, further work is required to examine responsiveness in the Moroccan patient population. Proxy COOP/WONCA chart ratings may be appropriate at the group level, but not at the individual patient level.