A Systematic Review of the Symptom Distress Scale in Advanced Cancer Studies

Abstract

Background The 13-item Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) is a widely used symptom measurement tool yet a systematic review summarizing the symptom knowledge generated from its use in patients with advanced cancer is nonexistent. Objectives We performed a systematic review of the research literature in which investigators utilized the SDS as the measure of symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. Methods We searched PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web-of-Science for primary research studies published between 1978 through 2013 that utilized the SDS as the measurement tool in patients with advanced cancer. 918 documents were found. Applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 21 articles and 2 dissertations were included. Results The majority of investigators utilized descriptive, cross-sectional research designs conducted with convenience samples. Inconsistent reporting of SDS total scores, individual item scores, age ranges and means, gender distributions, cancer types, cancer stages, and psychometric properties made comparisons difficult. Available mean SDS scores ranged from 17.6–38.8. Reports of internal consistency ranged from .67 to .88. Weighted means indicated fatigue to be the most prevalent and distressing symptom. Appetite ranked higher than pain intensity and pain frequency. Conclusions The SDS captures the patient’s symptom experience in a manner that informs the researcher or clinician about the severity of the respondents’ reported symptom distress. Implications for Practice The SDS is widely used in a variety of cancer diagnoses. The SDS is a tool clinicians can use to assess 11 symptoms experienced by patients with advanced cancer.

Impact of Electronic Self-Assessment and Self-Care Technology on Adherence to Clinician Recommendations and Self-Management Activity for Cancer Treatment–Related Symptoms: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The 15-item version has demonstrated sufficient internal consistency reliability as evidenced by the Cronbach alpha of .86 in individuals who completed anticancer therapy [13]. The validity of the 15-item SDS has not been tested to date, however, several studies support the concurrent validity of the 13-item version [17].…”

Longitudinal Analysis of Severe Anxiety Symptoms in the Last Year of Life Among Patients With Advanced Cancer: Relationships With Proximity to Death, Burden, and Social Support

“…28 The total ESDS score range is 10 to 51; higher scores reflect greater dependence on help for personal and social functioning. Total mean (SD) SDS and ESDS scores for patients with advanced cancer were 17.6 (5.9) to 32.74 (10.75) 29 and 20.0 to 43.3, 30 respectively. Chinese-version SDS and ESDS internal consistencies (Cronbach's alphas) in this study were 0.86 and 0.92, respectively.…”

Understanding and Measuring Symptom Burden in Heart Failure: A Concept Analysis

“…More recent research has focused on further defining what symptom burden consists of in other disease modalities and life contexts (Corwin et al, 2014). Although symptom burden, symptom experience, and symptom distress have all been examined in general populations with an emphasis on the oncology population (Armstrong, 2003; Gapstur, 2007; Stapleton, Holden, Epstein, & Wilkie, 2016), symptom burden is more relevant and descriptive when anchored in the primary diagnosis, and clinical specialists may be more concerned with those symptoms specific to the diseases that affect populations they work with. Because heart failure is characterized by an unpredictable disease trajectory—more so than in the cancer population—it would be inaccurate to generalize the oncology patient’s experience to that of the heart failure population (Yancy et al, 2017).…”