Development of a New Psychometric Assessment Tool for Predicting Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Pregnant Women

Objectives : Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pregnant women can lead to the development of serious complications in neonates. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a new tool for predicting this infection in pregnant women and to assess the psychometric properties of this scale. Materials and Methods: This methodological study was carried out on 220 pregnant women visiting Al-Zahra and Taleghani hospitals of Tabriz, Iran in 2019. First, the relevant items were formulated and the respective questionnaire was developed and then, the validity (i.e., face, content, and construct) and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed as well. The data were analyzed in SPSS 21 using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), dependent t test, and Cronbach alpha coefficient. Results : A 22-item questionnaire was designed and the items were scored using a five-point Likert-type scale (Min=22, Max=120). Finally, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value, Bartlett’s test of the Sphericity value, the internal consistency of the tool based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and the intra-cluster correlation coefficient were 0.801, 4035.810, 0.811, and 0.81, respectively. Conclusions : In general, the present tool can reliably predict HBV infection in pregnant women thus its application is recommended in preventing relevant complications.