Propiedades psicométricas del inventario de ansiedad de beck (BAI) en pacientes con cáncer

Abstract

Introduction: Depressive symptomatology is a major mental health problem in cancer patients. The Beck Anxiety Scale (BAI) has proven to be a reliable and valid instrument. However, until now has not been documented it’s psychometric properties in Mexican population with cancer. Objetives: Determine the psychometric properties of the Beck Anxiety Scale BAI in a sample of cancer patients. Material and methods: Involved 250 patients from the National Cancer Institute, of which 112 were women (55.2[%]) were male and 138 (44.82[%]); the average age was 46.6 ± 14.3 years. Participants answered the BAI, and also the Anxiety Sub-scale of HADS. Results: A varimax factor analysis with 21 items show a structure of 4 factors: Subjective, Neurophysiological, Autonomic and vaso-motor symptoms that explain 46.38[%] of the variance. The internal consistency of the overall scale was satisfactory (a=0.82). The validity through correlations with the HADS-A showed significant associations (Pearson r=0.58, p <0.05) and ECOG (Pearson -0.36, p <0.05). Conclusions: The BAI in Mexican population with cancer showed adequate psychometric characteristics. Detection of anxiety symp-toms through BAI provides benefts to the cancer population and facilitates the development of adequate and cost-effective care strategies.