Development and Initial Validation of a Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Knowledge Instrument

Background and Purpose: Many patients with cancer use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies without essential knowledge to inform their decisions. A CAM knowledge instrument was developed and tested for initial validation. Methods: There were 20 items developed and refined via cognitive interviewing. The instrument was mailed to 800 breast cancer survivors, and mailed again 2 weeks later to assess test-retest reliability. Results: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed 13 items forming a unidimensional scale. A 2-factor solution was also plausible. One factor consisted of 7 items on knowledge about specific features of CAM, and a second 6-item factor on knowledge of regulatory issues. Conclusions: Based on factor-analytic validity considerations, the 13-item instrument can be used, or the 2 subscales can be used if a more detailed examination of knowledge is desired.