Development of the Hirai Cancer Fatigue Scale: Testing its reliability and validity

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop the Hirai Cancer Fatigue Scale (HCFS) to assess the fatigue experienced by cancer patients, and to verify its reliability and validity. Methods Based on qualitative research about the perception of fatigue by Japanese cancer patients, we developed a questionnaire. The content validity was confirmed by 5 expert oncology nurses and 5 oncologists. 281 Japanese cancer patients participated in this study. Construct validity was analyzed using factor analysis, and internal consistency was analyzed using Cronbach's α coefficient. Results A 15-item scale with 3 dimensions, “physical/mental sensation”, “activity-related sensation” and “cognitive sensation,” was developed by factor analysis. This scale had an overall Cronbach's α coefficient of .943 and a test-retest reliability coefficient of r = .820 (p