Reliability and validity of the Acquired healthy lifestyle assessment scale (E-VEVSA) in adults from Albacete and Murcia (Spain)

Background: Lifestyle is a theoretical construct that is formed by the life habits of a subject. The analysis and objective quantification of lifestyle can have a great impact on people's health, as well as on the evolution of its status over the years. The objective of this research has been the validation of the Acquired Healthy Lifestyle Assessment Scale (E-VEVSA) in Spanish adults. Method: On an initial sample for the exploratory tests of 248 subjects and a final sample for the confirmatory tests of 780 subjects, aged between 22 and 72 years of age. Exploratory and confirmatory psychometric tests were carried out based on the Cronbach's alpha statistic (reliability) and exploratory factorial analysis with oblique rotation (oblimin) and confirmatory with varimax rotation (construct validity), which resulted in an instrument made up of 52 items and structured in 7 dimensions: individual responsibility in health care (9 items), habits of physical-sports practice (6 items), health habits in social relationships (10 items), habit of tobacco and alcohol consumption (9 items), habit of healthy eating (7 items), psychological health habits (6 items) and daily rest and sleep habits (5 items). Results: All the items explained a total variance of 66.87% and a Cronbach's alpha of .894, with the partial alpha of each dimension or factor being above .700. Conclusions: The results show psychometric tests that confirm the validity of the E-VEVSA scale as a useful instrument to measure the healthy lifestyle acquired among adults. (c) 2022 Sociedad Espanola de Medicos de Atencion Primaria (SEMERGEN). Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.