Translation and Validation of the 10-Item FAMCARE Scale to Assess Satisfaction of Family Caregivers With Care Given to Cancer Patients

Abstract

ContextFamily satisfaction with care is an important quality indicator in palliative care. ObjectivesThis study aimed to translate and validate the 10-item Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care (FAMCARE) tool. MethodsFamily caregivers of patients with advanced cancer were recruited. FAMCARE was translated from English to Chinese using a forward and backward translation process. Chinese-speaking caregivers were interviewed with the preliminary Chinese FAMCARE, and phrasing was edited to ensure clarity of the items. Subsequently, a baseline and follow-up survey in English and the finalized Chinese version were performed to assess psychometric properties.Cronbach's alpha (α) and intraclass correlation coefficient were used for internal consistency and test-retest reliability, respectively. Validity was assessed with Spearman's correlation coefficient (r). The Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool-Caregiver (CNAT-C) and a one-item assessment by caregivers regarding “good-care” acted as a validity criterion.Pooled analysis of both languages and language-specific analyses were performed. ResultsThere were 259 participants; 134 and 125 participants filled in the English and Chinese versions, respectively. Pooled analysis showed that the intraclass correlation coefficient of FAMCARE was 0.95; α was 0.91. There was a moderate positive correlation between the total FAMCARE scores and “good-care” (r = 0.54) and a moderate negative correlation between the total FAMCARE score and the CNAT-C “Healthcare Staff” domain (r = 0.41). There was a weak negative correlation between the total FAMCARE score and the CNAT-C domain of “family and social support” (r = −0.13).Language-specific analyses revealed similar results regarding FAMCARE's psychometric properties. ConclusionFAMCARE showed good reliability and validity.