The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Minimum Data Set (TOPICS-MDS) is a standardized data set that was developed to evaluate the quality of multidimensional geriatric care. There is an inherent need to reduce the number of TOPICS-MDS survey items to core outcomes to allow it to be more easily applied as a patient-reported outcome measure in clinical settings.
To create a TOPICS-short form (TOPICS-SF) and examine its validity.
Data in the TOPICS-MDS from persons aged 65 years and older in the Netherlands were used for the following analyses. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to select the items and to derive domain weights of TOPICS-SF. A priori hypotheses were made on the basis of psychometric properties of the full-length TOPICS-MDS preference-weighted score (TOPICS-CEP). The validity of TOPICS-SF was evaluated by 1) examining the meta-correlation of the TOPICS-SF score with TOPICS-CEP and two quality-of-life measures, that is, the Cantril Ladder score and the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire utility index, and 2) performing mixed multiple regression of TOPICS-SF scores across key sociodemographic characteristics.
TOPICS-SF scores were strongly correlated with the TOPICS-CEP (r = 0.96) and had stronger correlation with the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire utility index compared with the Cantril Ladder (r = 0.61 and 0.38, respectively). TOPICS-SF scores were higher among older persons who were married, living independently, and having higher levels of education.
We have developed the 22-item TOPICS-SF and demonstrated its validity, supporting its use as a patient-reported outcome measure in geriatric care.