Validation of the English and translated Chinese version of the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for cancer caregivers (CNAT-C)

The 41-item Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers (CNAT-C) is an English language survey for needs assessment developed and validated in South Korean cancer caregivers. The objective of this study was to validate both the English and a translated Chinese version of the CNAT-C in cancer caregivers in Singapore. This was a cross-sectional survey where cancer caregivers completed the CNAT-C and World Health Organisation Quality-of-life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in English or Chinese. Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure internal consistency. Convergent validity was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients between CNAT-C scores and WHOQOL-BREF domains. For known groups validity, independent samples t-test was used to compare CNAT-C scores based on Karnofsky performance status. There were 161 cancer caregivers–80 answered the English version and 81 answered the Chinese version. For the English version, 33.8% were male and the mean age was 46.9 years. For the Chinese version, 27.2% were male and the mean age was 52.6 years. The total CNAT-C score and most domain scores showed good internal consistency, low to moderate convergent validity with WHOQOL-BREF domains and good known groups validity with performance status in both the English and Chinese versions. Domain 1 (health and psychological problems) in the Chinese version did not show convergent validity although there was evidence of known groups validity. Domain 5 (religious/spiritual support) also did not show validity in our study sample. In summary, there was low to moderate convergent validity with the WHOQOL-BREF for both the English and translated Chinese versions. However, both language versions of CNAT-C showed good internal consistency and good known groups validity according to performance status, and both language versions of the CNAT-C can be used to assess the level of unmet needs for cancer caregivers in the Singapore context.