Abstract
Background: The Long-Term Quality of Life (LTQL) instrument was designed for female cancer survivors who have completed treatment and includes an existential spirituality subscale that is omitted in many other quality of life scales. Women with advanced breast cancer are now living longer, while also expressing greater spiritual concerns.
Objective: The objective of this analysis was to test the psychometric properties of the LTQL among women undergoing treatment of advanced breast cancer.
Methods: This secondary analysis was based on a sample of 385 women. Validity was evaluated using a confirmatory factor analysis and associations with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's [alpha] for each subscale of the LTQL.
Results: The mean age was 56 years, 84% of participants were white, and 69% had metastasis. Model fit indices for the confirmatory factor analysis were acceptable, with the root mean square error of approximation of 0.076 (90% confidence interval, 0.071-0.081) and a comparative fit index of 0.91. The LTQL subscale scores were significantly correlated with the subscales of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer of similar conceptual content. Internal consistency reliability for the subscales ranged from 0.80 to 0.86.
Conclusions: The factor structure of the LTQL was consistent with previous findings in long-term female cancer survivors. The instrument has adequate psychometric properties for use among women with advanced breast cancer.
Implications for Practice: The LTQL can be used to assess the physical, psychosocial, and existential spiritual domains of quality of life among women with advanced breast cancer as well as in long-term female cancer survivors.