Objective: To characterize the elements that demonstrate the validity of the Spanish versions of Diabetes Knowledge Test and the Diabetes Attitude Scale 3 in Venezuela.
Design and Methods: descriptive, observational, transversal, and psychometric field study. Sample included 100 participants with DM type 1 and 2, 12 to 70 years old, assisting to the Endocrinology service of three Venezuelan centers. Content was validated based in theoretical fundamentals. Semantic adaptation of the questionnaires was performed. Corrections were made according to validation of content. The Spanish versions includes 33 questions and 5 sub-scales where the answers were measured with a point scale from 1 to 5, were 5 was “totally agree” and 1 was “totally disagree” for the Diabetes Attitude Scale 3; and 38 questions with 5 areas of knowledge for the Diabetes Knowledge Test. Data was analyzed by the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the reliability and by the factor analysis with varimax rotation for the validity of the construct. Data was tabulated with SPSS 11.0.
Results: Diabetes Attitude Scale 3: Cronbach’s Alpha for the global internal consistency was 0,628 guaranteeing the reliability of the scale. New sub-scales were obtained from factor analysis, 6 total. The Cronbach’s Alpha was superior to 0,700 for most of the sub-scales, meaning a good reliability, the exception was the sub-scale “Perception of the gravity of the Disease” with a null reliability. Diabetes Knowledge Test: the global test indicates an excellent internal consistency with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0,800. New areas were obtained from factor analysis, 4 total. The Cronbach’s Alpha for each of the areas of knowledge was higher of 0,900, indicating an excellent reliability.
Conclusion: our questionnaires have been proven to be reliable, valid, being suitable for its application in future research in the described population.
Y. Marcano: None. E.J. Velásquez: None.
