Inpatient Dignity Scale: Mandarin translation and psychometric characteristics evaluation

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of fear of hospitalization scale among outpatients: A validation study

Background

In China, some patients avoid seeking medical care and are highly sensitive to subsequent medical care because of fear of possible hospitalization after a diagnosis has been established. Early identification of fear of hospitalization is essential for clinical staff to develop targeted education and interventions. However, there are currently no tools to assess outpatients' fear of hospitalization in mainland China. This study aimed to translate the Fear of Hospitalization (FH) scale into Chinese and verify its reliability and validity in outpatients.

Methods

Through convenience sampling, 664 outpatients who required hospitalization were recruited from two cities in Liaoning Province, China. The reliability of the translated scale was measured by internal consistency, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability. The validity of the translated scale was evaluated by expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States) and AMOS 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States).

Results

The Cronbach's α value of the Chinese version of the FH scale was 0.849, and the Cronbach's α value of the dimensions ranged from 0.857 to 0.902. The test-retest reliability value of 0.868 shows good temporal stability. The split-half reliability value of 0.910 indicates a high degree of measuring the same content. The content validity index of the scale (S-CVI) was 0.924, indicating a good level of content validity. The 3-factor structure supported by eigenvalues, total variance explained, and scree plot was obtained using exploratory factor analysis. In addition, all recommended fit indicators were within the acceptable range by confirmatory factor analysis.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of the FH scale is valid and reliable in outpatients. The developed three-factor structured scale will help identify outpatients with a high fear of hospitalization and can inform the development of educational intervention plans for care managers, physicians, and nurses. In addition, it helps clinicians and nurses take action to reduce this fear of hospitalization in patients and prevent avoidance of using health care services due to fear of hospitalization.

Self-report instruments for measuring patient dignity: A psychometric systematic review

AIMS

To synthesize and evaluate the psychometric properties of self-report instruments that measure patient dignity.

DESIGN

A psychometric systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

A comprehensive search of studies published from inception until February 17, 2022, was performed using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus.

REVIEW METHODS

The methodological quality of the psychometric studies was evaluated following the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines.

RESULTS

Eleven self-report instruments that evaluate dignity were identified. For most instruments, psychometric properties, including reliability, cross-cultural validity, responsiveness, and measurement error, had not been adequately examined. The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI), the Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale (JADS), and the Inpatient Dignity Scale (IPDS) had acceptable content validity, structure validity, and internal consistency to measure dignity among adult patients under palliative care, community-dwelling older adults, and inpatients receiving daily care.

CONCLUSION

The PDI, the JADS, and the IPDS are recommended for future clinical practice and research to measure dignity among adult patients under palliative care, community-dwelling older adults, and inpatients receiving daily care. Early identification of patients' dignity-related problems in nursing care can prevent negative health outcomes and help develop a timely intervention to promote patients' health and recovery.

IMPACT

Given that the psychometric properties of the existing self-report dignity instruments have not been systematically assessed, the present review utilized comprehensive methods according to COSMIN to evaluate and determine the most appropriate measure for research and practice. The PDI, the JADS, and the IPDS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties and are, thus, recommended for clinical and research applications. Nursing professionals can employ these instruments to assess and promptly identify dignity issues among both young and older adults in hospitals and communities.