Validation of the Spanish version of the Cancer Symptom Scale in Hispanic cancer patients.

Aim: To assess the validity of the translated Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale. Background: Instruments to facilitate comprehensive and objective assessments of the cancer symptom experience in underrepresented populations are essential. Methods: The Cancer Symptom Scale was translated into Spanish, and a back translation was conducted. During June 2016, a sample of 121 Hispanic Puerto Rican patients with any cancer diagnosis, all undergoing cancer treatments, completed four paper surveys. A subgroup of 15 patients agreed to complete the Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale a second time after a short delay of 1 to 2 hours. Construct validity and reliability (internal consistency via Cronbach alpha and test‐retest reliability) was evaluated. Results: All the Intensity Items of the Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale correlated significantly with the matched items on the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory. In a subgroup of 77 participants, each Cancer Symptom Scale subscale total of scores correlated significantly with the total scores from the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General. Discriminant validity was demonstrated between those receiving chemotherapy and those from post treatment. The Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale internal consistency reliability was 0.98. Conclusion: The Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale has excellent evidence of validity and reliability for assessing cancer‐therapy‐related symptoms. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? The Cancer Symptom Scale English version has proven to be useful for symptom management research and is currently being used as a method to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions or palliative treatments in ameliorating cancer‐therapy related symptoms. What this paper adds? The Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for determining the symptom profile of Hispanic Puerto Rican patients undergoing cancer treatments. The implications of this paper: The Spanish Cancer Symptom Scale is an easy to answer numeric rating instrument that has the potential to be included in clinical practice settings to achieve a more comprehensive and objective assessment of the symptom experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]