Translation and Validation of COST - FACIT (Version 2) Questionnaire into Hindi and Marathi to Assess Financial Toxicity in Indian Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background Cancer is one of the most expensive and exhaustive medical conditions with a huge impact on the financial condition of the patient and their family members. A lot of advancements have led to improvement in the survival of the patients but at a raised cost. Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity - Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (COST - FACIT Version 2) is one such validated and widely used tool. Assessing the financial burden in our country is still far more challenging as COST - FACIT is available in the English language but not in any regional language. Hence, we decided to validate this tool in Hindi and Marathi languages. Material and Methods A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Uro-Oncology at the Tata Memorial Hospital. The original version of the COST - FACIT (Version 2) was translated from English into Hindi and Marathi languages, following the FACIT translation method and tested for content validity that included two forward translations, followed by reconciliation and a backward translation. The questionnaires were then approved by the FACIT team, and pilot testing was done for 20 patients (10 for each Hindi and Marathi language). Each of these 20 patients, after filling up the questionnaire themselves, was interviewed for any difficulty encountered during answering the questionnaire. Based on the suggestions or interpretations of this pilot testing, the necessary changes were incorporated in the final Hindi and Marathi questionnaires. Results A total of 20 patients (10 each for Hindi and Marathi) were included for pilot testing of the questionnaire. The median age of the entire cohort was 61 years (27–79). The questionnaires showed good content and face validity and demonstrated a high internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.85 for Hindi, 0.89 for Marathi). Conclusion The questionnaire COST - FACIT (Version 2) has been approved and validated in Hindi and Marathi languages by the FACIT team for use in clinical practice and studies.