The objective of this project is to develop, validate, and pilot test an instrument appropriate to assess cancer-related quality of life (QOL) among the culturally-diverse cancer patient population in Hawaii. Research questions to be addressed are: - How similar are the important domains of cancer-related QOL in the primary ethnic subgroups in Hawaii (Caucasian, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino)? - How adequately do previously-validated instruments describe cancer- related QOL in these special populations? - What are the psychometric properties of QOL assessment instruments designed to be appropriate in the target populations? - How feasible are the assessment tools in clinical trials research studies in Hawaii? Methods include three studies to examine the appropriateness of two previously-validated QOL scales (the QLQ-C30 and the COOP Charts) in the study populations. Study 1 will use structured patient and consultant interviews and a pilot study to develop and pilot test previous scales and new scale items to assess culturally-relevant aspects of QOL which are not adequately represented in the selected QOL instruments. Study 2 will examine the performance of the QLQ-C30, COOP Charts, and the new scale items in the four ethnic groups through analyses of scale reliability, construct validity, criterion validity, and responsiveness to change. Study 3 will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the QOL assessment instruments in the context of clinical trials of cancer treatment from the perspective of both patients and providers. This study will facilitate the assessment of quality of life outcomes in intervention research, including clinical trials, across a broad spectrum of patient groups to enhance accrual, the interpretability of study findings, and their application in the population as a whole. The QOL data may also provide a foundation for the development of interventions that can be tailored according to ethnic/cultural group.
