Objective: To develop a scale in Urdu to quantify the safety/protective behaviors adapted by the community members against Covid-19 in Pakistan.
Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted at Karakoram International University, Gilgit and Combined Military Hospital, Kharian Cantonment, from July to November 2020. A four stepped approach was undertaken, followed by a pilot study, and finally a validation on a total of 438 volunteers. We recruited 438 community participants from different parts of the country aged over 18 years of either gender. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to establish construct validity.
Results: The Covid-19 Safety Behavior Scale Urdu (CSBSU) was found to have a uni-dimensionality, with an eigenvalue of 2.95. Three different goodness-of-fit indices (χ2 (9, N = 438)=14.06, p=0.07, CFI=0.96, TLI= .92, SRMR=0.02, RMSEA=0.04.) suggested that the one-factor model fit the data well. Cronbach alpha was 0.80, Spearman Brown coefficient 0.79, and Guttmann split-half coefficient 0.78. Furthermore, gender, area, age, education and occupation were found to influence the level of such behaviors.
Conclusion: The scale was found to be a reliable and valid Urdu instrument to evaluate the covid-19 safety behaviors in the community.
Key words: COVID-19, Pakistan, safety scale, behavior, Urdu, Protection, health literacy.
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