Reliability and Validity Study of a Tool to Measure Cancer Stigma: Patient Version

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this methodological study is to establish the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of “A Questionnaire for Measuring Attitudes toward Cancer (Cancer Stigma) - Patient version.” METHODS: The sample comprised oncology patients who had active cancer treatment. The construct validity was assessed using the confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 54.9±12.3 years. In the confirmatory factor analysis, fit values were determined as comparative fit index = 0.93, goodness of fit index = 0.91, normed-fit index=0.91, and root mean square error of approximation RMSEA = 0.09 (P <0.05) (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin = 0.88, χ(2) = 1084.41, Df = 66, and Barletta's test P <0.000). The first factor was “impossibility of recovery and experience of social discrimination” and the second factor was “stereotypes of cancer patients.” The two-factor structure accounted for 56.74% of the variance. The Cronbach's alpha value was determined as 0.88 for the two-factor scale. CONCLUSIONS: “A questionnaire for measuring attitudes toward cancer (cancer stigma) - Patient version” is a reliable and valid questionnaire to assess stigmatization of cancer in cancer patients.