A Comparative Psychometric Study for Development of Questionnaires to Assess Knowledge and Practices among Frontline workers and Mothers regarding Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) Programs in Delhi

Abstract

Objectives: Developing a validated and reliable questionnaire for ASHA workers and mothers regarding Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) programs.
Methods: For designing the questionnaire(s), initially 80 items on 3 constructs of HBNC and HBYC program were identified. For the content validity (study 1), a panel of three content matter experts reviewed the initial draft and based on logical analysis initial questionnaire was designed. In studies 2, 3, and 4, ASHA workers (n = 17) and Mothers (n=10) completed the HBNC and HBYC questionnaire to review the clarity of the items for determining the face validity. ASHA workers (n=10) were provided with the modified questionnaire to determine internal consistency in study 5. In study 6, test -retest reliability was undertaken involving ASHA workers (n=10) by filling the questionnaire twice over a period of two weeks. In study 7, construct validity was undertaken involving Accredited Social Health Activists (n=16) and Graduates (n=16).
Results: As part of content validity, experts agreed (CVI > 0.9; Agreement, Kendall's W > 0.3, p<0.001) that 2 out of 3 constructs were relevant to evaluate knowledge.. The final modified HBNC and HBYC questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency ( Cronbach's ? > 0.7), test-retest reliability (r > 0.85), and highly differentiated (U =3.5 and U=0, p < 0.001) knowledge scores for HBNC and HBYC items between ASHAs and Graduates.
Conclusions: This study provides a validated and reliable questionnaire to assess the HBNC and HBYC programs in Delhi.