Health‐related quality of life instrument with 8 items to measure health‐related quality of life among family caregivers of people with dementia: A pilot validation study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe health‐related quality of life instrument with 8 items (HINT‐8) was developed to measure health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korea. However, the HINT‐8 has not yet been validated among the family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD).DesignA cross‐sectional pilot study.ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the HINT‐8 among family caregivers of individuals with dementia.SampleForty‐seven family caregivers of PwD.MeasurementsHINT‐8 was compared with the 5‐level EQ‐5D (EQ‐5D‐5L) to assess its convergent and discriminant validity. Additionally, the association between the two instruments assessing HRQoL was examined using the short‐form Bédard‐Zarit Burden Interview (SZBI).ResultsThe HINT‐8 was a promising and valid HRQoL instrument for family caregivers of PwD. There was a significantly high correlation between the overall HINT‐8 and EQ‐5D‐5L indices (r = 0.85, p < .001). The HINT‐8 had acceptable psychometric properties compared to the commonly used EQ‐5D‐5L, as indicated by the subdomains associated with family caregiversʼ burden measured by the SZBI.ConclusionFuture studies should compare the HINT‐8 with existing dementia carer‐specific QoL instruments among a larger study sample to enhance its statistical power and confirm its reliability and structural validity.