Systematic symptom and problem assessment at admission to the palliative care ward – perspectives and prognostic impacts

Table 2 Symptom clusters identified by factor analysis (n = 955)

Symptom cluster based on HOPE-SC-SL	Symptoms	Factor analysis^a,b				Cronbach’s α
Symptom cluster based on HOPE-SC-SL		Deteriorated Physical Condition/Decompen-sation of Home Care	Emotional	Gastro-intestinal	Other
Deteriorated Physical Condition/Decompensation of Home Care	Assistance with ADLs	.766	.041	-.051	.105	.682
	Weakness	.676	.071	.143	.289
	Tiredness	.656	.036	.187	.148
	Disorientation/confusion	.615	-.138	-.259	-.151
	Organization of care	.555	.248	-.113	-.319
	Overburdening of family caregivers	.464	.356	.029	-.285
Emotional	Anxiety	.020	.835	.103	.095	.804
	Tension	.129	.824	.046	-.085
	Depression	.030	.783	.155	.096
Gastrointestinal	Nausea	-.139	.081	.857	-.078	.640
	Vomiting	-.097	-.030	.809	-.057
	Appetite loss	.376	.149	.524	.245
	Constipation	.120	.195	.497	-.128
Other^c	Dyspnea	.110	.218	-.060	.705	-.153
Other^c	Pain	-.023	.293	.277	-.427	-.153

ADLs Activities of daily living
^aKaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO) = .740
^bBartlett’s test of sphericity, Approximate Chi-Square 3402.682, df(p) = 105(<.001)
^cNot considered as a valid symptom cluster based on Cronbach’s α

ISSN: 1472-684X