Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the CARE Measure in a general medicine outpatient setting

Empathy is an important attribute in medicine, influencing both the process and outcome of consultations. However, there are no validated tools available in Japan to gather patient feedback on physicians empathy. The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure developed in the UK is widely used internationally. To investigate the psychometric properties of a Japanese version of the CARE Measure. Following two cycles of translation and back translation, the Japanese CARE Measure was completed by 317 patients in a primary medical care clinic in Japan. Tests of internal reliability and validity included Cronbachs alpha, item-total correlations and factor analysis. Predicted associations between CARE Measure score and other variables were assessed by Spearmans rho. Low numbers of missing values (8.29.8%) and not applicable responses (01.3%) suggested high acceptability and face validity of the Japanese CARE Measure. Internal reliability was high (Cronbachs alpha 0.984) and was reduced by the removal of any of 10 items. High corrected item-total correlations (0.8970.946) suggested homogeneity. Factor analysis showed a single solution with high item loadings (0.9170.957). Construct validity was supported by a significant relationship (Spearmans rho 0.74, P < 0.001) with overall satisfaction with the consultation. The Japanese CARE Measure appears to be valid and reliable in a primary medical care setting. Further work is required to determine its ability to discriminate between doctors.