Psychometric Properties of the Greek Version of the Patient Dignity Inventory in Advanced Cancer Patients.

CONTEXT: The patient dignity inventory (PDI) is an instrument to measure dignity distressing aspects at the end of life.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study were the translation of the PDI in Greek language as well as to measure its psychometric aspects in a palliative care unit.

METHODS: A back-translation method was obtained at the Greek version. One hundred twenty advanced cancer patients completed the Greek version of the PDI, the Greek hospital anxiety and depression scale, the Greek schedule of attitudes toward hastened death (SAHD-Gr), and the Greek 12-item short form health survey.

RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis failed to fit to the original instrument's structure and exploratory factor analysis was conducted revealing five factors ("Psychological Distress," "Body Image and Role Identity," "Self-Esteem," "Physical Distress and Dependency," and "Social Support"). The psychometric analysis of the PDI-Gr demonstrated a good concurrent validity, and the instrument discriminated well between subgroups of patients regarding age differences. Cronbach α were between 0.71 and 0.9 showing a good internal consistency.

CONCLUSION: The Greek version of the PDI showed good psychometric properties in advanced cancer patients, supported the usefulness of the instrument assessing the sense of dignity distressing aspects of the terminally ill cancer patients.