Table 5 Internal consistency of the tool (n = 34)

Physical daily living

1. Pain

11.53

17.651

0.275

0.907

2. Lack of energy/tiredness

11.50

15.167

0.615

0.898

3. Feeling unwell a lot of the time

11.35

13.316

0.727

0.897

4. Work around the home

11.06

13.027

0.748

0.897

5. Not being able to carry on the regular tasks, which you used to

11.18

14.392

0.780

0.898

Cronbach’s Alpha, physical daily living

0.899

Psychological

6. Anxiety

28.26

37.413

0.672

0.916

7. Feeling depressed

28.62

39.213

0.560

0.924

8. Feeling sad

28.32

37.013

0.757

0.910

9. Fear of spreading the cancer

28.00

37.091

0.821

0.906

10. The tension that health condition will be beyond control after the treatment

28.12

37.986

0.814

0.907

11. Uncertainty about future

28.09

37.598

0.731

0.912

12. The feeling of being yourself under control of the situation

28.03

39.242

0.737

0.912

13. Maintaining positive thinking

28.24

39.701

0.672

0.916

14. Feeling the tension of death and dying

27.97

37.484

0.760

0.910

Cronbach’s Alpha, psychological

0.921

Sexuality

15. Changes in sexual experiences

5.79

9.441

0.931

0.906

16. Changes in your sexual relation

5.82

9.544

0.929

0.908

31. Providing information about sexual relation

5.50

8.924

0.845

0.976

Cronbach’s Alpha, sexuality

0.951

Patient care support

17. Worry about your loved one

15.53

15.166

0.418

0.899

18. Many alternatives about choosing doctors/experts of cancer for treatment

15.76

12.367

0.531

0.897

19. Many alternatives about choosing the hospital for treatment

16.00

12.182

0.566

0.897

20. Assurance from health worker that whatever you are experiencing /thinking is normal

16.32

14.044

0.573

0.897

21. Hospital staff attending promptly to your physical problems/needs.

16.41

13.704

0.450

0.899

22. Awareness and sensitivity of hospital staff to your feelings and emotional aspects and needs

16.59

14.856

0.376

0.900

Cronbach’s Alpha, patient care support

0.898

Health system information

23. Giving information about the important aspect of your treatment and care in written form

30.03

34.939

0.471

0.842

24. Giving written information, diagrams and other clear information regarding ideas to manage the disease, its symptoms and side effects at home.

30.03

31.996

0.779

0.813

25. Sharing the treatment and investigation reports with you, which you were interested to know

30.44

35.163

0.541

0.835

26. Giving adequate information about the treatment that you choose, its side effects before starting the treatment

30.56

33.890

0.641

0.826

27. Sharing the reports of your tests/investigation with you soon as far as time allows

30.68

36.225

0.436

0.844

28. Giving information about the status of cancer, its minimization or control

30.26

36.988

0.404

0.846

29. Giving information about the things that you can do yourself to improve your health

30.53

36.681

0.452

0.842

30. Availability of professional counseling (like a psychologist, social worker, nurse specialist) to you or your family or your friends and relatives whenever needed

29.91

33.840

0.604

0.830

32. Being treated humanely and generously not only as a patient

31.00

37.758

0.468

0.841

33. Friendly structure/ environment in a hospital or clinic as far as possible

30.88

38.955

0.394

0.824

34. Easy availability of one staff from hospital with whom you can talk about your condition, treatment and follow up

30.38

34.122

0.672

0.899

Cronbach’s Alpha, health system information

0.848

Composite Cronbach’s Alpha)

0.902