| Resumo: | Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM (PedsQLTM) Cancer Module S. Santos1, C. Crespo1, M. C. Canavarro1, A. Fernandes2, L. Batalha2, & D. Campos2 1Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and Institute of Cognitive, Developmental, Vocational and Social Psychology, University of Coimbra, Portugal 2Coimbra Nursing School, Portugal Introduction: The survival rate of pediatric cancer has increased in the last 20 years in Europe, including in Portugal. Nonetheless, the anti-cancer treatment can be aggressive and associated with side effects both during and after treatment. Thus, researchers and clinicians agree that together with survival rates, it is important to assess specific health indicators such as health-related quality of life. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory TM - Cancer module, (PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module) (Varni, Burwinkle, Katz, Meeske, & Dickinson, 2002) is a promising health-related quality of life assessment instrument in the specific context of pediatric cancer, also including two age-appropriate versions for children and adolescents. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric proprieties of the Portuguese version of the PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module for children (8-12) and adolescents (13-18) with cancer. Methodology: Permission was obtained permission from original authors to translate the PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module into Portuguese using a standardized validation procedure, consisting on three steps: forward translation, backward translation, and patient testing. After cultural linguistic validation, the PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module was administered to 100 children and adolescents aged to 18 years, who had been diagnosed with cancer (leukemia/lymphoma or solid tumors) at two Portuguese public hospitals. The sample was collected between June and December 2012, and was composed by children and adolescents undergoing active treatment and off treatment. Results: Psychometric qualities of the PedsQl 3.0 will be presented for this sample, including factor analysis, reliability and validity procedures. The results demonstrate solid psychometric qualities of the Portuguese version of the PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module, among Portuguese children and adolescents. Conclusion: The PedsQL 3.0 was found to be a reliable and valid assessment instrument of health related quality of life in the context of pediatric cancer in a Portuguese sample. Discussion of findings suggests that assessment of the health-related quality of life via PedsQL 3.0 - Cancer module, may be of special relevance, not only for psychological intervention, but also for medical intervention. Key words: health-related quality of life; pediatric cancer; health; children; adolescents.
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