Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) using a large sample of staff from Australian residential aged care homes.

Background: The Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) is increasingly being used to assess residential aged care workers' knowledge and attitudes about palliative care for people with dementia. The qPAD developers performed an exploratory factor analysis and assessed the internal consistency using a small sample.

Aim: The aim of this study was to further assess the structural validity of the qPAD using a large sample of qPAD responses from staff who work in residential aged care homes in Australia.

Methods: Data from 727 care staff who participated in an Australian dementia palliative care training project were used for exploratory factor analyses, assessment of internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis of the knowledge test and attitude scale components of the qPAD.

Results: The exploratory factor analysis of the knowledge test produced a four-factor solution. One item loaded weakly, and four items had cross-loadings. Factor labels for the knowledge test were difficult to define. Factor analysis of the attitude scale produced a three-factor structure with good internal consistency-Feeling valued and part of the care team (α = 0.88), Family and team engagement (α = 0.75) and Perceptions and beliefs (α = 0.83). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated improvements in model fit were needed for both the knowledge test and attitude scale.

Conclusion: The findings of this factor analysis differed from the original study. The attitude scale produced a three-factor structure, but the knowledge test requires further development due to weak and cross-loadings of several items, inadequate internal consistency of factors and poor model fit.