177087 Development of a Patient Satisfaction with Cancer-Related Care (PSCC) measure for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and American Cancer Society (ACS) funded Patient Navigation Research Program

Monday, October 27, 2008

Pascal Jean-Pierre, PhD , Radiation Oncology Department/Behavioral Medicine Unit, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Kevin Fiscella, MD, MPH , University of Rochester Medical Center, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community & Preventive Medicine, Rochester, NY
Jennifer Griggs, MD, MPH , Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
Karen Freund, MD, MPH , Director, BU Center of Excellence in Women's Health, Chief, Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
Donald Dudley, MD , University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, Professor, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Antonio, TX
Peter Raich, MD, FACP , Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO
Richard G. Roetzheim, MD , College of Medicine (Family Medicine), University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Electra D. Paskett, PhD , School of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Charles Bennett, MD, PhD, MPH , Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Steven R. Patierno, PhD , George Washington Cancer Institute (GWCI), The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Victoria Warren-Mears, PhD, RD, LD , Nortwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Portland, OR
Jack Clark, PhD , Health Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Tim Lash, ScD , Associate Professor, BU School of Public Health, Boston, MA
INTRODUCTION: The Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP) is a large multisite project funded by NCI and ACS to assess the effect of a trained patient navigator on follow-up of cancer-related abnormal finding, time to definitive diagnosis, and delivery of equitable and optimal cancer-related care to underserved and racial/ethnic minorities and the poor. Patient satisfaction with cancer-related care is an important outcome of the PNRP. A comprehensive search of the medical and social science literature failed to identify a suitable measure of patient satisfaction for the PNRP.

METHODS: Using an iterative process, we developed a conceptual framework to include two broad domains: interpersonal/relational and structural/organizational processes to facilitate reliable assessment of PSCC. The domains included dimensions related to patient-healthcare provider communication, participation in care, illness understanding, patients' personal issues, and access to and coordination of care. The PSCC measure was developed to be ‘navigation-specific' and ‘generic' enough in its content to be relevant to navigated and non-navigated patients, and to be sensitive to the likely effects of navigation.

DATA ANALYSES: Data collection for the structural analysis and refinement of the PSCC is under way at all 9 sites of the PNRP and is expected to be completed by August 2008. Analyses will be conducted to help describe the sample and to assess the reliability of the PSCC across divergent racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Internal consistency of the PSCC will be assessed using a Cronbach coefficient alpha of 0.70 or higher as criterion of reliability. Subsequently, a principal components analysis will be performed. To represent the pattern of components loadings in a way that will facilitate interpretation, VARIMAX (orthogonal) and DIRECT OBLIMIN (oblique) rotations will be conducted and the clearest will be reported. The results are expected to reveal a simple structure with the items empirically summarized by three underlying components that account for most of the variance. The results will be presented.

CONCLUSION: The PSCC has been explicitly designed to adequately measure the effect of navigation on patient satisfaction for the PNRP. The analyses are expected to support the use of the PSCC as a valid and reliable measure.

Learning Objectives:
Development of a measure of Patient Satisfaction with Cancer-related Care specific to patient navigation. Understanding dimensions of patient satisfaction with cancer-related care.

Keywords: Cancer, Patient Satisfaction

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am leading the psychometric development of the measure for the NCI and ACS funded patient navigation research program. I have background training/experience in measurement development.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Medical Care Section Poster Session: Health Services Research
See more of: Medical Care