Measuring quality of life of cognitively impaired elderly inpatients in palliative care: psychometric properties of the QUALID and CILQ scales

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Czech versions of the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID) and the Cognitively Impaired Life Quality (CILQ) scales for use in the palliative care setting in terminally ill patients with cognitive impairment.

Methods: The sample comprised 306 cognitively impaired inpatients with advanced cancer and non-cancer conditions. In this cross-sectional study, two Quality of Life (QoL) measurements were performed at baseline and after five days. The dimensionality of the QUALID and CILQ scales was evaluated using a principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha; inter-rater reliability was evaluated with Kappa index. Test–retest stability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) comparing scores from baseline and 3–5 days post-baseline. The construct validity of the QUALID and CILQ scale was established by Spearman's correlation coefficients with the Symptom Management at the End-of-Life in Dementia (SM-EOLD).

Results: Both scales were shown to have adequate validity and reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.812 for QUALID, and α = 0.73 for CILQ), good inter-rater agreement (QUALID: κ = 0.760; CILQ: κ = 0.801) as well as test–retest reliability (QUALID: ICC = 0.847; CILQ: ICC = 0.925).

Conclusion: The Czech versions of the QUALID and CILQ scales may be recommended for use in the Czech Republic in the area of palliative care.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitively impaired
• quality of life
• palliative care
• psychometric evaluation
• reliability
• validity

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participating nurses of the Ostrava University Hospitals. Special thanks to Erika Hajnová-Fukasová, MSc, RN, Ph.D., nurse manager at the Department of Oncology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Czech Ministry of Health (project number NT 13417-4/2012: Identification of patient and family needs in palliative care related to quality of life).