Validation of the Symptom Status Questionnaire-Heart Failure in Korean patients

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Symptom Status Questionnaire-Heart Failure (SSQ-HF) in patients with heart failure (HF). Specific aims were to examine 1) reliability and item homogeneity, using Cronbach's alpha and item analyses; and 2) validity, using factor analysis and known relationships of depressive symptoms and perceived control to HF symptoms.

HF symptoms are among the strongest factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and can lead to hospitalization. Therefore, it is important to assess and manage HF symptoms using a reliable and valid instrument. However, there is no such instrument for Korean patients with HF.

Data on HF symptoms, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and covariates such as depressive symptoms, perceived control, and self-care maintenance were collected from 119 patients (mean age: 65.0years; 58.8% males). Cronbach's alpha was used to test reliability, and factor analysis and multiple regression analyses were used to test validity.

Cronbach's alpha was 0.76, supporting reliability. In factor analysis, a single-factor structure emerged, and the loading coefficients of all items were >0.45, supporting construct validity. In addition, as hypothesized, depressive symptoms and perceived control were significantly associated with HF symptoms, further supporting validity.

The reliability and validity of the Korean version of the SSQ-HF were supported among Korean HF patients. Clinicians and researchers can use the SSQ-HF to assess and manage common HF symptoms.