A Chinese version of the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire: reliability and validity assessment

Aims and objectives: To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PCCQ) to see whether the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire can be applied in Chinese context. Background: The rapid increase in the number of older adults with chronic diseases has made caring for this vulnerable population a priority healthcare issue in Taiwan. The PCCQ has been widely used in international studies. However, research has not yet assessed the suitability and applicability of the PCCQ in Taiwan. Design: A cross-sectional survey design was applied for the psychometric testing of the scale. Methods: A total of 314 older Taiwanese adults with chronic diseases receiving discharge planning intervention were pooled from a hospital in Central Taiwan. After receiving permission from the author of the PCCQ, a Chinese translation and back translation were made. Results: The scale was first rated by eleven experts with a Content Validity Index of 0·93. Two factors were extracted with the exploratory factor analysis, namely ‘information transfer to patients’ and ‘relationships with providers during hospitalisation’, with a total of 70·34% of the variance explained. Conclusions: The PCCQ - Chinese can be used to assist professionals to fully understand the continuity of care of the discharged patients under consideration. Relevance to clinical practice: A PCCQ - Chinese version can be used as a guide for discharging preparation that enables patients to receive high-quality continuity of care and further to self-manage their conditions.