Validity and reliability of the self-care behaviour scale for patients with left ventricular assist device

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the validity and reliability of the self-care behaviour scale for patients with left ventricular assist devices.

Design: Methodological study.

Methods: The English version of the scale was translated into Korean, and it was then back-translated into English. Survey data were collected from 32 patients with left ventricular assist device in South Korea, and construct validity, content validity and reliability were analysed.

Results: The original self-care behaviour scale comprises three domains and 33 items, whereas the Korean self-care behaviour scale comprises 27 items and five domains: device management, wound management, symptom monitoring, activated healthcare system and self-care management. Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was 0.94, and that for the five domains ranged from 0.36 to 0.90. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the overall scale was 0.89, and the five domains ranged from 0.71 to 0.88.

Conclusion: The newly evaluated scale would be valid and reliable in measure self-care behaviour for patients with a left ventricular assist device.

Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Patients can manage the left ventricular assist device on their own based on evidence and use it as a tool for effective communication with medical professionals.

Keywords: health behaviour; heart‐assist devices; patients; reliability; self‐care; validity.