Validity and Reliability of Self-Assessment Tool for Risk Prioritization Following Exposure to Tuberculosis in a Hospital Setting

Abstract

The Modified Self-Assessment (MSA) and Present Self-Assessment (PSA) forms are questionnaires used to prioritize the risk of infection of health workers exposed to tuberculosis (TB) in Srinagarind Hospital in Thailand. As MSA was developed from PSA, the validity and reliability of MSA need to be assessed. The research aim is to examine the content validity of MSA and to assess the respective reliability of MSA and PSA vis-à-vis expert opinion. Seven experts determined the content validity index (CVI) of MSA. MSA and PSA were used to prioritize the TB contact of 108 subjects, and we compared the result with the risk assessed by the experts. The respective Kappa agreements between MSA and PSA and the experts were used to assess reliability. The result of the content validity index revealed that MSA had I-CVI > 0.83 for all questions and an S-CVI/Ave above 0.90 for all factors. The Kappa agreement of contact priority between MSA and the experts was 0.80; it was 0.58 between PSA and the experts. MSA can, thus, be used to prioritize contact with tuberculosis in Srinagarind Hospital. MSA is a valid risk communication tool for aerosol-generating procedures. Further study should be conducted in other hospitals, and the number of participants should be increased in order to come to a concrete result.