KNOWLEDGE OF PERI- POSTMENOPAUSE IN COLOMBIAN WOMEN, A PSYCHOMETRIC VALIDATION STUDY

Abstract

Aim: To validate knowledge scale of peri-postmenopause in Colombian women, from 45 to 60 years. Material and Methods: It is a nonexperimental design of observational type, which was realized in a quota sample comprised by 101 women of peri-postmenopause stage at Cali, Colombia, selected from representative sectors of low, middle and high socioeconomic strata, between June-August, 2006. The knowledge scale was constructed by 22 items, which included knowledges, beliefs, signs and symptoms and care; using questions of dichotomous format. Results: The total scale score, presented a relatively normal distribution, with an average of 15.8, and a standard deviation of 4.3, reliability was measured by means of Cronbach’s Alpha, which was 0.83. Principal component analysis showed an unidimensional structure, which explained 36 % of the variance. Face validity was obtained by using an expert’s committee. Conclusions: The scale of knowledge is reliable and valid in an application on Colombian peri-and postmenopause women. By means of principal components analysis scale unidimensionality was established.