Validation of Hospitalization Impact Scale among families with children hospitalized for cancer treatment

Aim: To make further modifications to and validate the psychometric properties of the Hospitalization Impact Scale. Background: A child's repeated and prolonged hospitalization for cancer treatment can result in great changes for the entire family. A hospitalization-specific screening tool is needed to help clinical nurses identify families who are experiencing major impacts during their child's hospitalization. Design: A cross-sectional study was employed to examine the psychometric properties of the Hospitalization Impact Scale. Method: The sample consisted of 253 families with children hospitalized for cancer treatment in four paediatric oncology departments in four hospitals in mainland China from September 2013 - March 2014. Parents completed the 36-item Hospitalization Impact Scale, demographic measures and the Family Impact Module of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Reliability, construct validity, known-group validity and concurrent validity were examined. Result: The revised Hospitalization Impact Scale included six factors containing 34 items. It demonstrated sound concurrent validity with the Family Impact Module of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and excellent internal consistency. Conclusion: The revised Hospitalization Impact Scale met the standard psychometric criteria for reliability and validity. Thus, it could be applied in paediatric oncology departments to help nurses assess and identify families experiencing major impacts during a child's hospitalization for cancer treatment.