Psychometric evaluation of the Diabetes Symptom Checklist-Revised in patients with type 2 diabetes in Turkey.

Abstract

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Diabetes Symptoms Checklist-Revised (DSC-R), as measures of diabetes-related symptoms, in patients with type 2 diabetes in Turkey. This research was carried out on 340 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases of a university hospital in Turkey, between 25 January 2011 and 1 April 2011. Personal information forms developed by the researchers and the DSC-R were used as the data tools. All data were collected by authors during face-to-face interviews. According to the results of the research, the patients had a mean ± standard deviation age 55.9 ± 7.54 years (range, 20-65) and included most patients who were female (64.1%), married (87.1%), housewives (50.3%), and had completed primary education (47.4%). Cronbach's alpha found reliability for the total scale to be 0.92 and subscale alpha coefficients ranged 0.76-0.85. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a six factor structure: (i) neurology; (ii) psychology/fatigue; (iii) cardiology; (iv) ophthalmology; (v) psychology/cognition; and (vi) hyperglycemia. The Turkish version of the DSC-R was found to be a reliable and valid means to measure the level in effect on symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.