Reliability and Validity of Factors Affecting Quality of life in Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

The high prevalence and mortality rates of breast cancer among women in global are a pressing concern. In Malaysia, about 8418 women from different cultural background were diagnosed with this disease in 2020, which emphasizing the need to address the factors that impact their quality of life. Certain factors have been identified through literature search and it was found that psychological state, self-care behavior, social support, healthcare support and the use of social media affect cancer women’s quality of life. To identify the usefulness of the related items, this study assessed reliability and validity of a survey instrument measuring those five factors that relate to the factors affecting quality of life in breast cancer. It measured six constructs using a 5-likert scale. Thirty breast cancer survivors have participated in this study, which, in result, found the instrument to be reliable for all measured constructs. However, one construct and certain items were found to be invalid, indicating the need for revision to ensure the instrument’s high validity. Future studies can explore these factors in more detail using qualitative methods through interview gathering data technique. The study also has policy implications to develop social media education and awareness program specifically for local women with breast cancer, as well as community to promote responsible and effective use of social media, which then focus to improve overall quality of life.