Validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI - Br).

Participants were recruited by convenience from two outpatient clinics, so the results may not apply to other settings or patients unable to communicate. Patients had to be cognitively able and speak, so the instrument was not tested in delirium, dementia, or nonverbal patients. The sample had low schooling and low socioeconomic status, and the authors note results may differ in other population strata. There is no established Brazilian gold standard for dignity, so the researchers checked whether PDI-Br scores matched related symptom, function, spirituality, and quality-of-life scales. The retest interval averaged 31.6 days, and palliative disease may progress over that time, which could reduce stability of answers. Only 32 patients completed the retest. The factor solution explained 40.9% of variance, and items 11, 16, and 17 had low factor loads but were retained.

The study received assistance from CAPES, Brazil. No conflict-of-interest declaration is provided in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that giving patients this questionnaire improves dignity or outcomes. The study tested measurement properties in patients who could speak and think clearly, not the effect of a dignity intervention.