The representations of human vulnerability held by health workers - development and validation of a scale

Abstract

Objectives: This study's objective consisted of the construction and validation of a scale to identify the representation of human vulnerability in the health field. Method: its development was divided into three steps: a bibliographic review and exploratory interviews were conducted to establish the items and their subsequent aggregation into dimensions; evaluation by an expert committee; and pre-test. The scale's psychometric properties were evaluated based on its application to a sample of individuals (nurses, physicians, and senior nursing and medical undergraduate students). Validity, reliability, and internal consistency tests were performed.Results: the scale obtained consists of four dimensions (knowledge of intrinsic vulnerability, knowledge of extrinsic vulnerability, experience of vulnerability, and perception of vulnerability in patients). The scale presents good internal consistency with high Cronbach's alpha coefficient values. Conclusion: The Representation of Human Vulnerability in Health Workers Scale is easy to apply and presents reliable psychometric properties. It is an innovative tool that can be used in the development of studies addressing human vulnerability. La representación de la vulnerabilidad humana en cuidadores de la saludconstrucción y validación de una escalaObjetivos: El objetivo de este estudio consistió en la construcción y validación de una escala para la "Representación de la vulnerabilidad humana en la salud". Método: Se realizaron los siguientes pasos: Revisión bibliográfica y entrevistas exploratorias que llevaron a la formulación de Ítems y posterior agregación en dimensiones; evaluación por un comité de especialistas y un pre examen. Las propiedades psicométricas de la escala fueron evaluadas a partir de su aplicación a una muestra de 342 individuos: enfermeros, médicos y estudiantes (estos últimos finalistas en enfermería y medicina). Fueron hechos estudios de validez, de fiabilidad y consistencia interna. Resultados: Se obtuvo una escala constituida por cuatro dimensiones (Conocimiento de la vulnerabilidad Intrínseco, conocimiento de la Vulnerabilidad extrínseco, experiencia de la vulnerabilidad y percepción de situaciones de vulnerabilidad en los pacientes) con buena consistencia interna traducidas con valores de coeficiente "Alpha de Cronbach" muy elevados. Conclusiones: La "Escala de Representación de la Vulnerabilidad Humana" demostró ser de fácil aplicación y reveló propiedades psicométricas fiables, que la presentan como un instrumento innovador que permite hacer estudios generalizados sobre un tema tan importante como es el de la vulnerabilidad humana.Descriptores: Escalas; Validez de las Pruebas; Vulnerabilidad; Salud.Introduction nature of some words or expressions causes their meaning to change according to the situation or circumstance in which we employ them. Thus, the term "vulnerability" frequently emerges in bioethical texts to refer to the imperious need to protect the most vulnerable in the face of scientific experimentation. In the fields of public ...

The technological influence on health professionals' care: translation and adaptation of scales

“…Thus, the data resulting from exploratory factor analysis were crossed with Cronbach's alpha and item-item and item-total correlation coefficients. In that sense, the following criteria were set ( 12 ) .…”

“…- For the factor analysis, the principal component extraction method was used, adopting four main components to respect the structural organization of the original scale, followed by the rotation of the factors to obtain a clearer and more objective factor solution, thus maximizing the factor loadings of the items ( 12 ) . Like the scale author, the researchers chose the Varimax rotation method.…”

“…To determine what factors and items to retain, different authors' recommendations were followed ( 12 - 15 ) : a) Kaiser criterion - factors with eigenvalue of 1 or higher (EV≥1); b) factor loadings of items equal to or higher than 0.3 (FL≥0,30); although several authors suggest higher loadings of 0.5, the researchers again considered that the original scale author's criteria should be maintained; c) inexistence of items with relevant factor ladings (superior to 0.30) in more than one factor. If that happens and if the difference between them is not equal to or higher than 0.15, the elimination of the item should be considered; d) the percentage of the variance the retained factors explain should be at least 40% and e) each factor can contain no less than three items.…”

Adaptation and validation of indicators concerning the sterilization process of supplies in Primary Health Care services

“…This is a methodological study of adapting and validating an instrument, conducted with experts to assess measures in the health field (indicators of quality of processing). The validation of an instrument through the analysis of its psychometric qualities aims to objectify and improve its use ( 9 ) , because it strengthens the reliability of results. The object of study is a set of indicators developed and validated to assess the processing of dental, medical and hospital devices within hospital facilities.…”