Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form 34 for Patients with Cancer: A Methodological Study

Purpose: The Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form 34 (SCNS-SF34) measures the perceived care needs of patients with cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the SCNS-SF34 (i.e., the SCNS-SF34-K).

Methods: The SCNS-SF34 was translated into Korean following a World Health Organization translation guideline. We recruited 208 patients with cancer via an online survey in 2022. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and Amos 23.0, and the construct validity, known-group validity, and internal consistency were tested.

Results: The SCNS-SF34-K validated the final five-factor model via confirmatory factor analysis. The SCNS-SF34-K's subscales demonstrated discriminant and convergent validity. In addition, known-group validity was confirmed using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Scale (t = - 7.12), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (t = - 7.61), and Distress Thermometer (t = - 9.22). McDonald's Omega coefficient for the total scale was .96, and each sub-domain ranged from .88 to .95.

Conclusion: This research provides initial findings on the validity and reliability of the SCNS-SF34-K, a tool for measuring the supportive care needs of Korean cancer patients. The SCNS-SF34-K demonstrates potential for evaluating various aspects of patient needs and may be valuable for both clinical oncology practice and research in Korea.