Key result
A 20-item version of the living with long-term conditions scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (ordinal alpha=0.90) and good fit indices in an English-speaking population.
Why the study?
The psychometric properties of the living with long-term condition (LwLTCs) scale had not been established in an English-speaking population with different long-term conditions.
Cross-Sectional (n=577)
Yes
The 20-item English version of the Living with Long-Term Conditions scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the holistic experience of patients living with chronic diseases.
Supports LwLTCs scale use in English LTC populations; leaves open longitudinal and cross-cultural validation.
OBJECTIVE: To present the psychometric properties of the living with long-term condition (LwLTCs) scale in an English-speaking population of people with different LTCs. DESIGN: An observational and cross-sectional study, with retest was conducted. Psychometric properties including feasibility, internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, reproducibility and content validity were tested. SETTING: The study took place across the UK via primary care surgeries and voluntary organisations, between December 2021 and June 2022. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 577 patients living with different LTCs, as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, chronic heart failure, Parkinson's disease, chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Inclusion criteria included: (a) having been diagnosed with one or more of the conditions; (b) being able to read, understand and answer written questionnaires; (c) being fluent in English and (d) being able to provide written informed consent. Patients were involved in the design and pilot study of the scale. RESULTS: A total sample of 577 people with an age range of 37-97 years (98±9.65) were recruited. Internal consistency of the total 26-item LwLTCs scale score was excellent (ordinal alpha=0.90) but confirmatory factor analysis showed better fit indices (Normed Fit Index=0.96; standardised root mean square residual=0.051; Goodness of Fit Index=0.98) for a 20-item LwLTCs scale. CONCLUSIONS: A shorter version of the LwLTCs scale, with just 20 items and with excellent psychometric properties, is recommended. Having a short scale is key when considering the implementation of the scale in clinical practice to develop person-centred pathways and more comprehensive care plans.
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Ambrosio et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Long-term conditions (arthritis, COPD, CHD, PD, CKD, T2DM) (n=577). Living with long term conditions (LwLTCs) scale was evaluated on Psychometric properties (internal consistency and confirmatory factor analysis) of the LwLTCs scale. A 20-item version of the living with long-term conditions scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (ordinal alpha=0.90) and good fit indices in an English-speaking population.
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