Stigma of tuberculosis scale: validity and reliability

Introduction: In many health conditions, stigma is receiving increasing attention. Public stigmatization toward social illness can affect particularly the patients and family memberships to help seeking behavior and treatment. This study, the aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish "Stigma of Tuberculosis Scale" which was developed to evaluate of perception of stigma with tuberkulosis patient. Patients and Methods: This methodological study was conducted with 150 with tuberculosis disease people who above 18 age and without known psychological and mental disability. In the study, "Stigma of Tuberculosis Scale" was used as data collection tool. During the study, language equivalence, content validity, reliability and construct validity of the scale was performed. The data was assessed by using mean, median, standard deviation, Spearman Correlation, Cronbach Alpha coefficient and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The mean age of study participants was 45.6 +/- 16.1 ( 20 - 85). years. Spearman correlation coefficient of the scale for test-retest reliability was 0.853 and the Cronbach Alpha coefficient was 0.95. According to fit indexes of confirmatory factor analysis [x2/SD= 481.38/230= 2.09; RMSEA= 0.087; GFI= 0.776; CFI= 0.776; NNFI= 0.875] it was found that one factors were appropriate for the scale. Conclusion: The adoption of the translated "Stigma of Tuberculosis Scale" in Turkey is found reliable and valid to evaluate of perception of stigma with tuberkulosis patient.