Validation of the 40-item and 24-item short version of the Person-Centred Obesity Care (PCOC) instrument for patients living with obesity

Abstract

Introduction Person-centred care (PCC) may hold promise for improved healthcare experiences and outcomes among patients living with obesity. A validated instrument to assess the delivery of PCC to patients living with obesity is however currently lacking. This study aimed to validate such an instrument. In this article, we describe the development and psychometric testing of the 40-item and 24-item short version of the Person-Centred Obesity Care (PCOC) instrument. Methods A total of 590 individuals living with obesity (BMI 33.4 ± 3.9) from a representative Dutch sample completed the 49-item PCOC instrument measuring the eight dimensions of PCC (patient preferences, physical comfort, coordination of care, emotional support, access to care, continuity and transition, information and education, and family and friends), and two measures of satisfaction with care. We performed confirmatory factor analyses to verify the factor structure of the instrument, and examined its reliability and validity. Results Fit indicators of the first model with all 49 items showed that the model left room for improvement (CFI < 0.90). A 40-item version was obtained with satisfactory-to-good fit (SRMR = 0.05, RMSEA = 0.06, CFI = 0.90). The instrument demonstrated good reliability, and the relationship between the PCOC and two indicators of satisfaction with care supported the validity of the scale. Shortening the instrument only further improved the fit indicators, resulting in the development of a 24-item short version (SRMR = 0.04, RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.96), with similar results in terms of reliability and validity. Conclusion The 40-item PCOC instrument and the 24-item short version showed to be reliable and valid instruments for the assessment of PCC among patients living with obesity. Based on the results, the 40 and 24-item PCOC are promising tools that can be used by clinicians and researchers to explore PCC delivery for patients living with obesity.