Validation of the Spanish Version of the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire (QODD-ESP) in a Home-Based Cancer Palliative Care Program and Development of the QODD-ESP-12

Abstract Context Improving quality of death (QOD) is a key goal in palliative care (PC). To our knowledge, no instruments to measure QOD have been validated in Spanish. Objectives The goals of this study were to validate the Spanish version of the quality of dying and death (QODD) questionnaire and to develop and validate a shortened version of this instrument by phone interview. Methods We enrolled caregivers (CGs) of consecutive deceased cancer patients who participated in a single PC clinic. CGs were contacted by phone between 4 and 12 weeks after patients' death and completed the Spanish QODD (QODD-ESP). A question assessing quality of life during last week of life was included. A 12-item QODD (QODD-ESP-12) was developed. Reliability, convergent validity, and construct validity were estimated for both versions. Results About 150 (50%) of 302 CGs completed the QODD-ESP. Patient's mean age (SD) was 67 (14); 71 (47%) were females, and 131 (87%) died at home. CGs' mean age (SD) was 51 (13); 128 (85%) were females. Mean QODD-ESP score was 69 (range 35–96). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.322, not supporting the use of factorial analysis to assess the existence of an underlying construct. Mean QODD-ESP-12 score was 69 (range 31–97). Correlation with last week quality of life was 0.306 ( P P  = 0.394 comparative fit index = 0.988; Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.987, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.016 (95% CI 0–0.052). Conclusion QODD-ESP-12 is a reliable and valid instrument with good psychometric properties and can be used to assess QOD in a Spanish-speaking cancer PC population by phone interview.