Validating the Saligan Fatigue Inventory (SalFI)

Abstract

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a very distressing symptom reported by oncology patients. Currently, CRF is measured by self-report instruments. Although clinician-administered questionnaires are more sensitive than self-report scales, there is no available clinician-administered instrument that is validated to measure CRF.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Purpose</strong>: This nurse-led, prospective, repeated measures study investigated the reliability and validity of a 7-item Saligan Fatigue Inventory (SalFI), a recently developed, clinician-administered tool to measure CRF.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Methods</strong>: Significant correlations between SalFI and other reliable and valid CRF measures (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy&ndash;Fatigue [FACT-F], revised Piper Fatigue Scale [rPFS]) were explored using Spearman correlation tests. A global correlation matrix to compare correlations among study time points was developed using the Benjamin-Hockberg method. Study subjects were followed at baseline (T1, before primary cancer treatment), one month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after cancer treatment initiation from two study centers. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of both recruitment centers.</p> <p><strong>Results</strong>: A total of 60 subjects were enrolled in the study. The SalFI was highly correlated with both FACT-F (rho=0.69, <em>p</em>pp</p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: The SalFI is a reliable and valid clinician-administered measure of CRF. Validation studies in other cancer populations, other clinical populations, and in other languages are warranted.</p>