Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Greek Version of the Diabetes Attitude Scale (DAS-3).

Abstract

The knowledge and attitudes of nurses caring for patients with diabetes mellitus should be regularly evaluated using reliable and valid instruments to identify any knowledge gaps and address any negative attitudes, allowing for the implementation of targeted skill development. The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Greek translation of the Diabetes Attitudes Scale (DAS-3) questionnaire. A total of 278 conveniently selected undergraduate nursing students participated in the survey and were administered a questionnaire of sociodemographic and clinical data, the Diabetes Knowledge Test tool and the DAS-3. Factor analysis revealed 4 factors explaining 50% of the variability of the DAS-3; the value of strict glucose control (Cronbach's α = 0.86), the need for special training (Cronbach's α = 0.63), the psychosocial impact of diabetes (Cronbach's α = 0.68), and finally the respect for patient autonomy (Cronbach's α = 0.65). The overall Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient found for the DAS-3 questionnaire was 0.75 indicating good internal reliability. The values of the Pearson correlation coefficients in test-retest assessment varied for the four factors from 0.71 to 0.90 and reflected a moderate to very strong correlation. The good reliability and validity of the DAS-3 contribute to the evaluation of the attitudes of health professionals towards diabetes, becoming a future motivation for improving educational programs.