A Fatigue Measuring Scale Using Figures
Objective: Up to 99% of cancer patients experience fatigue with a corresponding negative impact on quality of life. Most fatigue instruments are lengthy, requiring literacy/math skills, concentration, and energy to complete. This instrumentation study begins development of the Fatigue Figures Measuring Scale (FFMS), a brief screening tool to reliably and accurately elicit fatigue levels from patients who may be tired, non-English speaking, and/or those having difficulty communicating using numbers or words.
Design: This descriptive research, first in a series of studies to develop and psychometrically test the FFMS, included cross-sectional, prospective, self-report survey data plus retrospective medical record data.
Population, Sample, Setting: A convenience sample of 100 ambulatory adult oncology patients with varied diagnoses, disease stages, and treatments were drawn from three oncology clinics.
Variables: Variables measured included fatigue level plus patient characteristics relevant to fatigue: age; type and stage of cancer; currency of treatment; concomitant illness; hemoglobin level; caregiver availability; income level; race; education level; employment status; primary language.
Methods: Consenting patients completed a survey containing demographics, a visual analog scale (VAS) for scoring their past week’s energy level, and ten gender-neutral figures depicting various activities, randomly presented for the participant to select one figure characterizing their past week’s energy level. Patients ranked which scale was easiest and best expressed their fatigue. Medical records were reviewed to verify and complete demographic data collection.
Findings: Data analysis will be completed over the next three months. Preliminary results support concurrent validity of FFMS with the VAS (r = .653, p<.001). An inverse correlation of FFMS score with hemoglobin level suggests construct validity, but is non-significant.
Conclusions & Implications: Pending results of analysis, additional psychometric testing may find the FFMS a useful tool for measuring fatigue in adult oncology patients, warranting testing with different patient populations.
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