Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34627225›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2021

Reliability, validity and acceptability of the traditional Chinese version of the carer support needs assessment tool in Hong Kong palliative care settings.

Hui-Lin Cheng, Doris Yin Ping Leung, Po Shan Ko, Ming Wai Chung, Wai Man Lam, Po Tin Lam, Andrew Leung Luk, Simon Ching Lam

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Mapping Caregiver Needs' Assessment Tools for Family and Friend Caregivers: A Rapid Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Hui-Lin ChengSchool of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hom Hung, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. eileen.cheng@polyu.edu.hk.
Doris Yin Ping LeungSchool of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hom Hung, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Po Shan KoNursing Services Division, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ming Wai ChungSchool of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hom Hung, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wai Man LamDepartment of Medicine, Haven of Hope Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Po Tin LamDepartment of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Andrew Leung LukNethersole Institute of Continuing Holistic Health Education, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Simon Ching LamSchool of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University · HKUnited Christian Hospital · CNAlice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital · CNHong Kong Adventist Hospital · CNTung Wah College · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmong the few existing needs assessment tools for family carers, the 14-item Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT) is the only brief and holistic needs screening tool designed for everyday use in palliative care practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and acceptability of the traditional Chinese version of the CSNAT in palliative care settings in Hong Kong.

methodsThis adopted a cross-sectional and correlation design with repeated measures. The participants were 125 family carers of palliative cancer patients and 10 healthcare providers (HCPs) that were recruited from two local hospitals. The evaluation of psychometric properties included the following: (1) content validity through HCPs including frontline physicians, nurses, social workers, and clinical psychologists; (2) construct validity between the CSNAT items and those of the validated tools that measured caregiver burden, social support, and caregiving self-efficacy; and (3) one-week test-retest reliability in a sub-sample of 81 caregivers. The acceptability of the tool was assessed by the carers using several closed-ended questions.

resultsThe content validity index of the CSNAT at the scale level was 0.98. Each item of the CSNAT was significantly and moderately correlated with caregiver burden (Spearman's r = 0.24 to 0.50) and caregiving self-efficacy (r = - 0.21 to - 0.52), but not for social support. All CSNAT items had fair to moderate test-retest reliability (weighted kappa = 0.21 to 0.48), with the exception of two items "managing your relatives' symptoms, including giving medicines" and "having time for yourself in the day". Regarding the acceptability of the CSNAT, almost all HCPs were willing to use the CSNAT for carer assessment and support. 89.6% of the carers demonstrated a comprehensibility of the CSNAT tool and 92.9% felt comfortable answering the questions. Around 90% of the carers agreed to use the tool for screening, discussing needs, and making referrals.

conclusionThe traditional Chinese version of the CSNAT is a tool with high validity and acceptability and adequate reliability that measures family carers' support needs, which should be considered for wide application in local palliative care practices.

Indexed as

CaregiversPalliative CareChinaCross-Sectional StudiesHong KongHumansNeeds AssessmentPsychometricsReproducibility of ResultsSurveys and QuestionnairesAcceptabilityCancerCaregiverCSNATPalliative careReliabilityValidity

Identifiers

PMID34627225
PMCPMC8502334
OpenAlexW3207344551

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.