Abstract
BackgroundFatigability has recently emerged in oncology as a concept that anchors patients’ perceptions of fatigue to defined activities of specified duration and intensity. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (K-PFS) for women with breast cancer.MethodsThis cross-sectional study involved 196 women with breast cancer recruited from a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the K-PFS. Four goodness-of-fit values were evaluated: (1) the comparative fit index (CFI), (2) the Tucker–Lewis index (TLI), (3) the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and (4) the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR).ResultsOf the 196 survivors, 71.1% had greater physical fatigability (K-PFS Physical score ≥ 15) and 52.6% had greater mental fatigability (K-PFS Mental score ≥ 13). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total K-PFS scale was 0.926, and the coefficients for the physical and mental fatigability domains were 0.870 and 0.864, respectively. In the confirmatory factor analysis for physical fatigability, the SRMR value (0.076) supported goodness of fit, but other model fit statistics did not (CFI = 0.888, TLI = 0.826, and RMSEA = 0.224). For mental fatigability, although three goodness-of-fit values were acceptable (CFI = 0.948, TLI = 0.919, and SRMR = 0.057), the RMSEA value (0.149) did not indicate good model fit. However, each item coefficient was statistically significant (> 0.5), and the K-PFS was therefore found to be valid from a theoretical perspective.ConclusionThis study provides meaningful information on the reliability and validity of the K-PFS instrument, which was developed to meet an important need in the context of breast cancer survivors. Additional research should examine its test–retest reliability and construct validity with performance measures.
Highlights
Fatigability has recently emerged in oncology as a concept that anchors patients’ perceptions of fatigue to defined activities of specified duration and intensity
Our study showed that 71.1% of women had greater physical fatigability (M = 20.47, K-Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (PFS) Physical score ≥ 15) and that 52.6% had greater mental fatigability (M = 14.35, Korean version of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (K-PFS) Mental score ≥ 13)
While the PFS has been mostly used with older adults, this study provides valuable data on Korean breast cancer survivors with the K-PFS, allowing for comparison with different clinical characteristics and various cultural settings
Summary
Fatigability has recently emerged in oncology as a concept that anchors patients’ perceptions of fatigue to defined activities of specified duration and intensity. Fatigue measures have self-pacing bias because they do not anchor perceived fatigue to activity intensity and duration [8]. To improve upon the limitations imposed by fatiguerelated methodological issues, and to accurately measure individuals’ potential ability to overcome the physical and mental dimensions of fatigue, the concept of fatigability has recently emerged. Distinct from the concept of fatigue, fatigability refers to the relationship between the individual’s subjectively measured perceptions of fatigue and various types and levels of objectively measured activity [9]. Fatigability can be measured by combining self-reported fatigue with quantified physical or cognitive activity, provided that the effort associated with the activity can be standardized by intensity and duration. The measurement advantages offered by the concept of fatigability allow meaningful comparisons across participants and studies
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