Zeynep Özer

Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis of the caregiver quality of life index-cancer with Turkish samples

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the CQOLC in Turkey.MethodsThe 35-item English version of the CQOLC was translated into Turkish following the standard translation methodology. The questionnaire was administered to 237 caregivers of patients with cancer. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses (CFA and EFA) were carried out using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser Normalization to test its construct validity. We used Cronbach’s alpha to examine the CQOLC’s reliability (internal consistency).ResultsThe CFA did not confirm the original factor model. The EFA yielded a 25-item measure with a four-factor solution with different labels for three of the four original scales (shown in parentheses): Psychological Distress (Burden), Disruption in Daily Life (Disruptiveness), Caregiving Responsibility (Positive Adaptation), and Financial Concerns (Financial Concerns). Cronbach’s alpha for the total scale was 0.88 and subscale alpha coefficients ranged from 0.73 to 0.83.ConclusionsThe results indicate some differences in the factor structures of the CQOLC scale between Turkish and American samples but provided preliminary support for the Turkish version of the CQOLC as a reliable and valid measure of the quality of life of Turkish cancer caregivers.

Reliability and validity of the caregiver quality of life index‐cancer (CQOLC) scale in Turkish cancer caregivers

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to translate the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer into Turkish and test the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer in Turkey. BACKGROUND Cancer is a chronic illness that affects the entire family and deteriorates the quality of life of cancer caregivers. The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer is a widely used instrument to measure quality of life in cancer caregivers. Therefore, identifying and increasing quality of life benefits of cancer caregivers. DESIGN Methodological research design. METHOD This study describes the translation process of The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer into Turkish and testing its reliability and validity on quality of life in cancer caregivers. The questionnaire was translated using a back-translation technique. The statistical analysis was carried out using Cronbachs alpha to test the internal consistency of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale while confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were carried out using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser Normalization to test its construct validity. RESULTS The Cronbachs alpha was found to be reliability for the total scale was 0.88 and subscale alpha coefficients ranged from 0.73-0.83. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in four factor structure: burden, distruptiveness, positive adaptation and financial concerns. CONCLUSION The effects of providing care for patients with cancer on caregiver quality of life have not yet been adequately explored in Turkey. The results of this study suggest that the Turkish version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer is a reliable and valid supplementary measure of the quality of life in cancer caregivers in Turkey. RELEVANCE OF CLINICAL PRACTICE: In research and practice, valid measurement instruments are needed to assess Quality of Life in Turkish cancer caregivers. The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale is simple to administer and nurses by using this equipment in routine appointments will be able to better identify caregiver at risk for developing cancer related distress and worse Quality of Life.

Hope in people with cancer: a multivariate analysis from Turkey

AIM The study was planned to determine the hope levels of people with cancer and the variables affecting hope. BACKGROUND Hope is essential for patient well-being and positively correlated with improved coping skill. DESIGN A descriptive and exploratory design. METHODS The study sample included 240 consecutive patients treated with chemotherapy and attending the Day Chemotherapy Unit of a University Hospital in Turkey. The study was conducted between December 2009-January 2010. Personal Information Form and Herth Hope Scale were used for data collection. The determinants and subscales of hope were evaluated with univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS These mean scores showed high levels of hope among the patients included in the study. It was found that net family income, knowledge level about the disease, feeling of improvement, perception of satisfactory family support by the patient, mouth ulcers, feeling anxious or worried and presence of fear were independently related with the total hope score. CONCLUSIONS The study results showed high levels of hope among the participating patients. It is concluded that physical, financial and psychological well-being and information and support needs are directly and independently related with hope in people with cancer. These findings support the need for clinicians to continue to practise and implement hope fostering/hindering interventions among their patients.

Living with Asthma: An Analysis of Patients' Perspectives

Objectives. To investigate asthmatic patients’ perceptions of their disease. Methods. The study was done with the participation of 23 patients among the asthmatics whose progress is monitored regularly in a university hospital. Phenomenological methodology was used, and the first step was to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Then, in order to determine their feelings and opinions on the subject of their asthma, each participant was asked to write a letter to answer the following question: “If asthma were a friend of yours, what would you like to say to it in a letter?” Data were analyzed using the continuous comparative method of Colaizzi (1978; “Psychological research as a phenomenologist views it”, in Valle, R. And King, M. (Eds), Existential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology, Oxford University Press, New York, NY.). For this purpose, each researcher read the letters separately and identified the important thoughts, and similar statements were classified under the same theme groups. Results. The mean age of the patients was 41.43 ± 6.23 years, and 69.6% of them were female, 73.9% were married, 34.8% were primary school graduates, and 34.7% were civil servants (with no social security problems). The statements of the asthmatics in the study were grouped according to the following themes: “The Most Important Factor in Accepting Asthma Is Time,” “It’s So Hard to Be Asthmatic,” “Being Asthmatic Means Understanding the Value of Life,” “I Don’t Like Asthma, so I Can’t Make Friends with It,” “Learning to Live with Asthma,” “One Day I May Recover from Asthma,” “Feeling Anger,” and “Suffering from Continuous Worry and Fear.” Conclusion. Asthmatic patients need psychosocial support since they believe that there is no certain treatment for asthma, and attacks are inevitable.

Learning Experiences of Nurses as Part of a European Union Project on Complementary Therapies: A Multinational Qualitative Study.

The objectives of this study were to investigate learning experiences of the nurses who participated in transnational and multinational occupational training. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used. Data are clustered into 3 categories “occupational training,” “complementary care,” and “intercultural interaction.” This research has revealed many insights into the transnational training of nurses.