Previous studies on palliative care have assessed the phenomenon of Information
Concealment (IC), confirmed its relevance and emphasised the need to have a scale for
its assessment. The aim of this study was to design and validate such an instrument.
The sample comprised 150 palliative caregivers (23 men and 127 women). The dimensionality
of the items of the Information Concealment Scale for Caregivers (ECOI) was
assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis and an optimal implementation of parallel
analysis. Reliability and criterion validity were analysed using sample data. The ECOI
comprises three factors: Concealment or dissimulation about the disease, misrepresentation
of the real situation and control of the information. The scale has excellent
reliability and shows criterion validity. Therefore, the ECOI is a reliable and valid instrument
to objectively measure IC among Spanish caregivers in palliative care settings.
