Applying a coping with stress questionnaire for cancer patients to patients with non-cancer chronic illnesses

• Published in: Journal of health psychology Vol. 18; no. 6; pp. 737 - 749
• Main Authors: Orive, Miren, Quintana, Jose M, Vrotsou, Kalliopi, Las Hayas, Carlota, Bilbao, Amaia, Barrio, Irantzu, Matellanes, Begoña, Padierna, Jesús A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.06.2013; Sage Publications
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Chronic Disease - psychology; Chronic sickness; Coping strategies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exploratory factor analysis; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C, Chronic - psychology; Humans; Illness; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - psychology; Male; Medical sciences; Methodology; Middle Aged; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Patients; Questionnaires; Reliability; Reproducibility of Results; Stress, Psychological - diagnosis; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survival strategy; Tumors; Vertigo - psychology; chronic illness; coping; methodology; validation; reliability; Human; Questionnaire; Methodology; Chronic disease; Psychometrics; Coping; Malignant tumor; Stress; Cancer
• ISSN: 1359-1053; 1461-7277
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105312464673

One of the few instruments to evaluate coping skills among patients with chronic illnesses is the Cuestionario de Afrontamiento al Estrés para Pacientes Oncológicos (CAEPO), created initially for cancer patients. We evaluate how well CAEPO applies to patients with non-cancer chronic illnesses. A total of 344 patients (115 with chronic hepatitis C, 120 with inflammatory bowel disease and 109 with recurrent vertigo) completed the CAEPO. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha provide only partial support for the seven factors suggested by the original CAEPO. A streamlined version with fewer dimensions and items may be a better solution for identifying coping strategies among these patients.