AI Summary
This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) as a screening tool for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in cancer survivors who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). The research found that the PC-PTSD-5 demonstrated strong internal consistency and was significantly associated with the longer PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A cutoff score of 2 provided optimal sensitivity for screening, while a score of 4 showed the highest efficiency for detecting probable PTSD. The study suggests that the PC-PTSD-5 could be used as an effective and efficient screening tool for PTSD among cancer survivors in a clinical setting.
Abstract
Introduction
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is an intensive and invasive procedure used in cancer treatment that can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These symptoms are frequently overlooked in oncology and general health care settings. The suitability and utility of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) within the cancer population remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate its performance as a brief (five-item) case-finding screening alternative to the longer (20-item) PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in survivors who received an HCT 1 to 5 years ago.
Methods
A total of 817 cancer survivors completed the PC-PTSD-5 and PCL-5 during recruitment for a randomized clinical trial. Optimal cut scores for identifying probable PTSD and item performance were determined using indices correcting for chance and item response theory analyses.
Results
Of the HCT sample, 10.4% screened as positive for probable DSM-5 PTSD using the PCL-5. The PC-PTSD-5 exhibited strong internal consistency and significant associations with PCL-5 scores (total, r = .82; items, rs = .56–.61). A cutoff score of 2 provided optimal sensitivity for screening (κ[Se] = .95), whereas a cut score of 4 demonstrated the highest efficiency for detecting a probable DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis on the PCL-5 (κ[Eff] = .39). Item response theory analyses indicated that item 4 (numbing) of the PC-PTSD-5 yielded the most informative data, with other items potentially lacking incremental utility.
Conclusion
Although not an instrument validation study, these findings offer efficient evidence for using the PC-PTSD-5 as a succinct screening tool among cancer survivors in a clinical context.
Trials Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04058795, registered 8/16/2019