Validation of the competency scale for cancer patient in-home care

Abstract

Introduction: Caregiving competencies for cancer patients under treatment are fundamental to achieve an adequate hospital-home transition and health self-management behaviors. Objective: To validate the hypothetical factor structure of the competency scale for in-home care of cancer patients who are undergoing active cancer treatment. Methodology: A cross-sectional study instrument validation was conducted with 250 cancer patients under treatment. Theconfirmatoryfactoranalysistechniquewasusedtodeterminereliabilitybyusingtheprincipal component analysis method, varimax rotation and Cronbach’s alpha. Results: A version of the Competency Scale for Cancer Patient In-Home Care was administered containing 17 items and 5 approaches: learning, anticipating, self-regulating, harmonizing, and supporting. Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was 0.764. Conclusions: The 5-A Competency Scale for Cancer Patient In-Home Care takes up the approaches of the individual and family self-management theory and comprehensively assesses the skills required by cancer patients to facilitate the transition to caregiving self-management at home.