Validating survey measurement scales for AIDS-related knowledge and stigma among construction workers in South Africa

摘要

Construction workers in South Africa are regarded as a high-risk group in the context of HIV/AIDS. HIV testing is pivotal to controlling HIV transmission and providing palliative care and AIDS-related knowledge and stigma are key issues in addressing the likelihood of testing behaviour. In exploring these issues, various studies have employed an 11-item AIDS-related knowledge scale (Kalichman and Simbayi, AIDS Care 16:572-580, 2004) and a 9-item stigma scale (Kalichman et al., AIDS Behav 9:135-143, 2005), but little evidence exists confirming the psychometric properties of these scales. Using survey data from 512 construction workers in the Western Cape, South Africa, this research examines the validity and reliability of the two scales through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests. From confirmatory factor analysis, a revised 10-item knowledge scale was developed (χ2 /df ratio?=?1.675, CFI?=?0.982, RMSEA?=?0.038, and Hoelter (95?%) =393). A revised 8-item stigma scale was also developed (χ2 /df ratio?=?1.929, CFI?=?0.974, RMSEA?=?0.045, and Hoelter (95?%)?=?380). Both revised scales demonstrated good model fit and all factor loadings were significant (p?