Validity and Reliability of a Chinese-Tailored Scale for the Evaluation of End-of-Life Care in Dementia Patients.

Abstract

Aims/Background Highly valid and reliable instruments for evaluating end-of-life care for dementia patients and caregivers are lacking in clinical settings, hampering the progress of pertinent research on palliative care in China. Therefore, the present work focused on assessing the adaptability and reliability of the Chinese version of the End-of-Life Care in Dementia (EOLD) scale in evaluating nursing home caregivers who have cared for advanced dementia patients. Methods A convenience sample of 170 caregivers was recruited from five nursing homes. The data collection instruments included a demographic form and the Chinese version of the EOLD scale. The Chinese version of the EOLD scale comprises three subscales: Satisfaction with Care at the End of Life in Dementia (SWC-EOLD); Symptom Management at the End of Life in Dementia (SM-EOLD), which includes further scales for psychological symptoms and physical symptoms; and the Comfort Assessment in Dying with Dementia (CAD-EOLD), which encompasses further evaluation scales for physical distress, dying symptoms, well-being, and emotional distress. Results The reliability of all the scales ranged from satisfactory to good, with SWC-EOLD's α = 0.806, SM-EOLD's α = 0.879, and CAD-EOLD's α = 0.827. Conclusion In this study, a preliminary reliability assessment on the Chinese version of the EOLD scale was conducted, revealing that the three subscales exhibit strong internal consistency in reliability and structural validity. These results further confirm the applicability of the EOLD scale in dementia research within the context of palliative care.