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Re-validation and Shortening of the Functional Assessmentof Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) Questionnaire

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Abstract

Purpose: The original Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) was designed to measure general aspects of quality of life (QOL) as well as specific anorexia/cachexia-related concerns. Our primary purpose was to reduce the number of anorexia/cachexia subscale items in a manner that either retains or improves reliability, validity and precision. Methods: The FAACT was administered using an interactive computer program that allowed immediate entry of the data. A total of 213 patients were recruited. Results: A combined empirical and conceptual approach led to the reduction of the anorexia/cachexia subscale (A/CS) from 18 to 12 items. A 26-item trial outcome index (TOI) combining physical well-being (PWB), functional well-being (FWB), and the A/CS-12 was highly reliable and sensitive to change in performance status rating (PSR). We found that PWB, FWB, and A/CS-12 subscales performed differently. Specifically, PWB and FWB scores decreased in patients whose (PSR) worsened. However, although A/CS-12 scores were responsive to change in PSR over time, average A/CS-12 scores of all patients, even those whose PSR worsened, improved over the course of treatment. Conclusions: Elimination of six items from the anorexia/cachexia subscale of the FAACT was accomplished without loss of internal consistency or sensitivity to change in performance status. The A/CS-12 subscale provides unique, important information not captured by a generic chronic illness questionnaire.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center on Outcomes Research and Education, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston

    J.M. Ribaudo, D. Cella & E.A. Hahn

  2. Northwestern University, Evanston

    D. Cella & E.A. Hahn

  3. Center for Conscious Living, Naperville, IL

    S.R. Lloyd

  4. Pacific Shores Medical Group, Long Beach, CA

    N.S. Tchekmedyian

  5. Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL

    J. Von Roenn

  6. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    W.T. Leslie

Authors
  1. J.M. Ribaudo
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  2. D. Cella
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  3. E.A. Hahn
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  4. S.R. Lloyd
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  5. N.S. Tchekmedyian
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  6. J. Von Roenn
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  7. W.T. Leslie
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Ribaudo, J., Cella, D., Hahn, E. et al. Re-validation and Shortening of the Functional Assessmentof Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) Questionnaire. Qual Life Res 9, 1137–1146 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016670403148

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016670403148

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