Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/921853
- Title
- Development and psychometric evaluation of a measure of perceived need for adolescents and young adults with cancer
- Author/Creator
-
Clinton-McHarg, Tara
- Institution
- University of Newcastle. Faculty of Health, School of Medicine and Public Health
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- An overview of the unique challenges that adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors may face due to their cancer diagnosis occurring at a critical phase of physical, psychological and social development is presented in Chapter 1. A review of the literature revealed that no psychometrically rigorous measures of unmet need for AYA cancer survivors currently exist, discussed in Chapter 2. The initial steps (face and content validity) in the development of a measure specifically designed to capture the needs of this population are described in Chapter 3. The measure was pilot tested with 32 AYAs recruited through a state-based cancer registry, discussed in Chapter 4. The construct validity and internal consistency of the measure were established with a sample of 139 AYAs recruited through seven treatment centres, presented in Chapter 5. Test-retest reliability was examined with a sub-sample of 34 AYAs. The final measure consists of 70 items and six factors. All factors achieved Cronbach’s alpha values >0.80. Item-to-item test-retest reliability was also high, with most items reaching weighted kappa values >0.60. The prevalence of high levels of unmet need related to the availability of good food and leisure spaces at the treatment centre, body image, fertility, peer interaction, physical functioning, and tailored information were experienced by a large proportion of AYAs, described in Chapter 6. Participants who were female, diagnosed with haematological cancer, experienced a recurrence, received more than two types of treatment, or who were less than two years post-diagnosis had significantly greater odds of experiencing high levels of unmet need for a number of issues. Recommendations for further psychometric evaluation of the measure (including longitudinal studies to establish responsiveness and predictive validity) with a larger sample are discussed in Chapter 7.
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Date
- 2011
- Keyword(s)
-
cancer;
adolescents;
young adults;
measures;
perceived need;
psychometric;
development
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Rights
- Copyright 2011 Tara Clinton-McHarg
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/921853
- Language
- eng
-
-
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