• Alison Brown and Mohammed Hijazi.
• International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, Rue Engeland 642, Brussels B-1180, Belgium. alisonbrown40@hotmail.com
• Int J Qual Health Care. 2008 Aug 1;20(4):291-6.

ObjectiveTo translate and adapt the Critical Care Family Satisfaction Survey (CCFSS), and test its validity and reliability for use in Saudi Arabia.SettingSeven hundred-bed tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.ParticipantsSeventy-six adult relatives of patients who had been cared for in an intensive care unit for 24 hrs or more.InterventionsThe CCFSS, a battery of 20 items divided into five subscales, was translated into Arabic. After transfer of patients to regular inpatient units, interviewers administered the survey to their next-of-kin. Respondents ranked their satisfaction with each item on a 5-point Likert scale.Main Outcome MeasuresSubscale scores were calculated as the average of the individual item scores. The total scale score was the sum of the subscale scores.ResultsThe total scale and 'Information', 'Support', 'Comfort' and 'Assurance' subscales showed acceptable internal consistency (Spearman's correlation coefficient of the total score with each of the subscale scores = 0.52-0.81, P<0.01; Cronbach's alpha = 0.67-0.88). But the 'Proximity' subscale performed poorly (r=0.48, P<0.01; Cronbach's alpha = 0.36). Discriminant validity was tested with a Spearman's rank correlation matrix of the subscales, and ranged from weak between 'Support' and both 'Assurance' and 'Information' (r=0.80) to substantial between 'Information' and 'Proximity' (r=0.54) (P<0.01).ConclusionThis Arabic translation and adaptation of the CCFSS is a valid, reliable and feasible tool to evaluate family satisfaction in Saudi Arabian intensive care units.

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