Psychometrics of a Scale on the Fatty Liver Disease-Related Health Beliefs in Middle-Aged Iranians

The growing prevalence of fatty liver is a major threat to health. This study aimed to design and measure a psychometric scale on the fatty liver disease-related health beliefs in middle-aged Iranian people.

This qualitative descriptive study was performed on middle-aged people referring to the Comprehensive Health Service Centers of Qorveh, Kurdistan Province, Iran, in 2020. An extensive literature review was performed, and interviews were done with people with fatty liver disease and experts in the field. The interviews were analyzed through a directed content analysis approach. The researchers applied an existing theory (health belief model) and designed and compiled 90 items.

Following evaluation of the face and content validity and obtaining item impact mora than 1.5, CVI more than 0.62, and validity mora than 0.79, a research scale with 57 items was designed. After exploratory factor analysis, 49 items with factor loading mora than 0.5 were confirmed, covering seven factors with a predictive power of 57.5. The reliability of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cue to internal action, cue to external action, and self-efficacy were 0.90, 0.89, 0.85, 0.81, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.88, respectively. The total reliability of the scale was also confirmed (Cronbach's alpha=0.92).

The designed scale has appropriate validity and reliability for measuring the health belief constructs associated with fatty liver in middle-aged people.