The European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour scale revised into a nine-item scale (EHFScB-9): a reliable and valid international instrument
1 Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Centre, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
2 School of Human Sciences, University of Kalmar, Kalmar, Sweden
3 Department of Nursing Science, School of Nursing Sciences, Jönköping University and Unit of Research and Development in Primary Care, Jönköping, Sweden
4 School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
5 Department of Cardiology, Linköping University Hospital and Department of Medicine and Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden
* Corresponding author. Email: t.jaarsma{at}thorax.umcg.nl
 |
Abstract |
|---|
Aims: Improved self-care is the goal of many heart failure (HF) management programmes. The 12-item European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale (EHFScB scale) was developed and tested to measure patient self-care behaviours. It is now available in 14 languages. The aim of this study was to further determine reliability and validity of the EHFScB scale.
Methods and results: Data from 2592 HF patients (mean age 73 years, 63% male) from six countries were analysed. Internal consistency was determined by Cronbach’s alpha. Validity was established by (1) interviews with HF experts and with HF patients; (2) item analysis; (3) confirmatory factor analysis; and (4) analysing the relationship between the EHFScB scale and scales measuring quality of life and adherence. Internal consistency of the 12-item scale was 0.77 (0.71–0.85). After factor analyses and critical evaluation of both psychometric properties and content of separate items, a nine-item version was further evaluated. The reliability estimates for the total nine-item scale (EHFScB-9) was satisfactory (0.80) and Cronbach’s alpha varied between 0.68 and 0.87 in the different countries. One reliable subscale was defined (consulting behaviour) with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85. The EHFScB-9 measures a different construct than quality of life (r = 0.18) and adherence (r = 0.37).
Conclusion: The 12-item EHFScB scale was revised into the nine-item EHFScB-9, which can be used as an internally consistent and valid instrument to measure HF-related self-care behaviour.
Key Words: Heart failure • Self-care • Instrument development
Received March 4, 2008; Revised September 1, 2008; Accepted September 1, 2008
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A. M. Clark, C. N. Freydberg, F. A. McAlister, R. T. Tsuyuki, P. W. Armstrong, and L. A. Strain Patient and informal caregivers' knowledge of heart failure: necessary but insufficient for effective self-care Eur J Heart Fail, June 1, 2009; 11(6): 617 - 621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|