Validation of the German Version of the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire for Health Professionals
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®
Published online on September 23, 2015
Abstract
To validate the Quality of Dying and Death (QoDD) instrument for health professionals (QoDD-D-MA) and to test its feasibility in 2 German palliative care units (PCUs).
The QoDD was translated from English to German and then retranslated following European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) guidelines. Data were collected in 2 German PCUs to calculate aspects of validity and reliability.
Mean total score was 83.05 (range 49-100; N = 232). The QoDD-D-MA showed satisfactory psychometric properties, Cronbach α = .830; interrater reliability r = .245 (P < .01). The QoDD-D-MA was independent of patients’ demographic and clinical aspects. Some challenges occurred when applying the instrument.
Feasibility could be improved by adapting the QoDD-D-MA to create a self-assessment version and finding a solution for items that result in many missing data. Future research should validate the QoDD-D-MA in other care settings.