Development and psychometric testing of a Scale for Evaluating Self-management Needs of Knee Osteoarthritis (SMNKOA) in Taiwan

Abstract

Introduction

Knee OA is a chronic and multifactorial disease; self-management needs are complex, which requires a multidimensional management plan. There is a need for healthcare providers to provide patients with knowledge of knee OA and how to effectively manage the disease.

Objective

Self-management-needs scales are one means of determining the management requirements of an individual patient. There is no suitable instrument available for assessing self-management needs of adult patients with knee OA in Taiwan. This study developed an instrument that could assess the self-management needs of knee OA patients using Orem's self-care theory as a theoretical framework.

Aims

This study developed and psychometrically tested a new instrument for measuring adult patients’ self-management needs of knee OA (SMNKOA).

Methods

Development of the instrument involved three phases: item generation and scale development; content and face validity of the initial instrument; and evaluation of validity and reliability of the new instrument. Participants (n = 372) were purposively sampled from orthopaedic clinics at medical centres in Taiwan.

Results

The self-care theory guided the development of the 35-item SMNKOA scale. The content validity index was 0.83. Principal components analysis identified a 3-factor solution, accounting for 53.19% of the variance. The divergent validity was –0.67; convergent validity was –0.51. Cronbach's α was 0.95, Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.88, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.95.

Conclusions

The SMNKOA scale can measure and identify the individual self-management needs of knee OA patients. It will help healthcare providers better evaluate strategies that can help these patients cope with this chronic disease.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.