Moitra P, Verma P, Madan J. Development and validation of a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) to healthy eating and activity patterns in school children (HEAPS).
Nutr Health 2021;
27:199-209. [PMID:
33522877 DOI:
10.1177/0260106020982356]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Development of culturally appropriate and psychometrically sound instruments that measure knowledge and health behaviors of children will help to inform appropriate interventions.
AIM
To develop and test the validity and reliability of a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, and practices to healthy eating and activity patterns in school children in India.
METHODS
Review of literature, focus-group discussions, and theoretical constructs of the Health Belief Model guided the development of an item pool. Face and content validity were assessed by children and a panel of experts and the item content validity, item difficulty, and discrimination indices were calculated. Construct validity was determined using the principal axis method of exploratory factor analysis among a cross-sectional sample of children (n=252). Internal consistency (Cronbach α values >0.7) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient values >0.75) were estimated.
RESULTS
Item content validity index for clarity and relevance were satisfactory (>0.80) and internal consistency for knowledge (Kuder-Richardson 20 = 0.832), attitude (Cronbach's α = 0.912), and practice items (Cronbach's α = 0.769) were good. Four factors (children's eating habits, family dietary practices, and consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods) and two factors (moderate to vigorous activities and sedentary activities) explained 67.7% and 48.2% of the total variance in practice items. Intraclass correlation coefficient estimates ranged from good to excellent (0.72-0.99).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the validity and reliability of the 84-item knowledge, attitudes, and practices to healthy eating and activity patterns in schoolchildren questionnaire were promising. The detailed description of the methodology employed may prove useful to researchers conducting similar studies in children.
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