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Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 6/2009

01-06-2009 | Original Article

Fatigue in Brazilian cancer patients, caregivers, and nursing students: a psychometric validation study of the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised

Authors: Dálete D. C. F. Mota, Cibele A. M. Pimenta, Barbara F. Piper

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 6/2009

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Abstract

Goals of work

The objective of this study was to validate the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised (PFS-R) for use in Brazilian culture.

Patients and methods

Translation of the PFS-R into Portuguese and validity and reliability tests were performed. Convenience samples in Brazil we as follows: 584 cancer patients (mean age 57 ± 13 years; 51.3% female); 184 caregivers (mean age 50 ± 12.7 years; 65.8% female); and 189 undergraduate nursing students (mean age 21.6 ± 2.8 years; 96.2% female); Instruments used were as follows: Brazilian PFS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS).

Main results

The 22 items of the Brazilian PFS loaded well (factor loading > 0.35) on three dimensions identified by factor analysis (behavioral, affective, and sensorial–psychological). These dimensions explained 65% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability was very good (Cronbach’s α ranged from 0.841 to 0.943 for the total scale and its dimensions). Cancer patients and their caregivers completed the Brazilian PFS twice for test–retest reliability and results showed good stability (Pearson’s r ≥ 0,60, p < 0,001). Correlations among the Brazilian PFS and other scales were significant, in hypothesized directions, and mostly moderate contributing to divergent (Brazilian PFS × KPS) and convergent validity (Brazilian PFS × BDI). Mild, moderate, and severe fatigue in patients were reported by 73 (12.5%), 167 (28.6%), and 83 (14.2%), respectively. Surprisingly, students had the highest mean total fatigue scores; no significant differences were observed between patients and caregivers showing poor discriminant validity.

Conclusions

While the Brazilian PFS is a reliable and valid instrument to measure fatigue in Brazilian cancer patients, further work is needed to evaluate the discriminant validity of the scale in Brazil.
Footnotes
1
Personal communication, November 26, 2007 Dr. Barbara F. Piper.
 
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Metadata
Title
Fatigue in Brazilian cancer patients, caregivers, and nursing students: a psychometric validation study of the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised
Authors
Dálete D. C. F. Mota
Cibele A. M. Pimenta
Barbara F. Piper
Publication date
01-06-2009
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 6/2009
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0518-x

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