The Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 Questionnaire (KDQOL-36™), modified by RAND, has been widely used for measurement of quality of life among hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis patients. The purpose of this study was to refine and evaluate, by using confirmatory factor analysis, the structure of the KDQOL-36™ when the questionnaire was used to evaluate chronic kidney disease patients in Stages 1 to 5 in Taiwan. The psychometric properties of the translated version were determined among Mandarin-speaking adults (N = 428). Because the sample data did not fit the hypothetical model, one item was deleted and nine error terms were estimated. After improving the model fit, the modified model was presented as follows: χ(2) = 1390.903, χ(2)/df = 2.711, p < .001, goodness-of-fit index = .833, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = .806, root mean square error of approximation = .063. According to the study results, the researchers suggest that because of content overlap, some items may be deducted from the KDQOL-36™.

No abstract

Adherence to healthy behaviors is a protective factor in the disease progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Measuring adherence can lead to the recognition of unhealthy behaviors and the suggestion of programs to prevent poor health outcomes. An assessment measurement for patients with CKD not requiring dialysis was developed and psychometrically tested. A convenience sample ( n = 330) of patients with CKD attending a nephrology clinic in southern Taiwan completed the 13-item Adherence to Healthy Behaviors Scale (AHBS). A principal axis factor analysis and a parallel analysis demonstrated a three-factor structure accounting for 47.16% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good model fit. The criterion-related validity was adequate ( r = .51; p < .000), with a Cronbach’s alpha of .70; the test-retest reliability demonstrated good stability ( r = .70; p < .000). The AHBS is a valid, reliable instrument to assess adherence to healthy behaviors among patients with CKD.