Psychometric evaluation of a modified food security survey scale in the economically deprived population of Hong Kong

IF 4.5 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Security Pub Date : 2025-11-10 DOI:10.1007/s12571-025-01611-y

Ka Yu Kwan, Pui Hing Chau, Mandy Ho, Chee Hon Chan, Raymond Lap Ming Tang, Paul Siu Fai Yip

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Food security is vital for global health and sustainable development. However, existing validated versions of the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) cannot address the needs for a shorter Chinese version with a shorter reference period. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a 6-item Chinese-version of the HFSSM (3-month reference period), among the economically deprived population in Hong Kong. This study included 512 observations from community-dwelling Chinese adults (≥ 18 years), who were social services users or food assistant service applicants, and with household income < 75% of the population median. Construct validity and scale targeting were assessed using Rasch analysis. Convergent validity, known-group validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were also examined. The construct validity was satisfactory, with a logical item calibration hierarchy and good infit statistics for five items (0.81–1.26), although a floor effect was indicated in the Wright map. The convergent validity was supported through a moderate positive correlation with the single-item household food insufficiency scale (r = 0.58). Known-group validity showed higher scores among those aged < 65 years (d = 1.17, p < 0.001), living with children aged < 18 years (d = 1.09, p < 0.001), enrolled in the food assistance program (d = 0.54, p < 0.001), living at the poverty line or below (d = 0.30, p = 0.010), and with poor or fair health (d = 0.20, p = 0.028). Furthermore, the scale had fair-to-good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.88, Rasch person reliability = 0.64) and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.96) in one week. The 6-item Chinese-version of the HFSSM (3-month reference period) is a valid and reliable measure of household food insecurity in the economically deprived population in Hong Kong.

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改良食物安全调查量表对香港贫困人口的心理测量评估

粮食安全对全球健康和可持续发展至关重要。然而，现有的经过验证的家庭粮食安全调查模块（HFSSM）无法满足更短的中文版本和更短的参考期的需求。本研究的目的是在香港经济困难人群中，考察一套包含6个项目的中文版《家庭心理健康量表》（参照期为3个月）的心理测量特性。该研究纳入了512名来自社区居住的中国成年人（≥18岁）的观察结果，他们是社会服务使用者或食品援助服务申请人，家庭收入占人口中位数的75%。采用Rasch分析评估结构效度和量表标靶性。检验了收敛效度、已知组效度、内部一致性和重测信度。结构效度令人满意，具有逻辑项目校准层次和五个项目的良好不完整统计（0.81-1.26），尽管在赖特图中显示了地板效应。通过与单项家庭食物不足量表的中度正相关（r = 0.58）来支持收敛效度。已知组效度显示，65岁（d = 1.17, p < 0.001）、与18岁儿童一起生活（d = 1.09, p < 0.001）、参加食品援助计划（d = 0.54, p < 0.001）、生活在贫困线以下（d = 0.30, p = 0.010）、健康状况不佳或一般（d = 0.20, p = 0.028）的人群得分较高。此外，该量表在一周内具有良好的内部一致性（Cronbach 's alpha = 0.88， Rasch个人信度= 0.64）和良好的重测信度（ICC = 0.96）。由6个项目组成的“家庭食物不安全指数”中文版（参照期为3个月）是衡量香港经济贫困人口家庭食物不安全状况的有效和可靠指标。

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来源期刊

Food Security FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY-

CiteScore

14.00

自引率

6.00%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Food Security is a wide audience, interdisciplinary, international journal dedicated to the procurement, access (economic and physical), and quality of food, in all its dimensions. Scales range from the individual to communities, and to the world food system. We strive to publish high-quality scientific articles, where quality includes, but is not limited to, the quality and clarity of text, and the validity of methods and approaches. Food Security is the initiative of a distinguished international group of scientists from different disciplines who hold a deep concern for the challenge of global food security, together with a vision of the power of shared knowledge as a means of meeting that challenge. To address the challenge of global food security, the journal seeks to address the constraints - physical, biological and socio-economic - which not only limit food production but also the ability of people to access a healthy diet. From this perspective, the journal covers the following areas: Global food needs: the mismatch between population and the ability to provide adequate nutrition Global food potential and global food production Natural constraints to satisfying global food needs: § Climate, climate variability, and climate change § Desertification and flooding § Natural disasters § Soils, soil quality and threats to soils, edaphic and other abiotic constraints to production § Biotic constraints to production, pathogens, pests, and weeds in their effects on sustainable production The sociological contexts of food production, access, quality, and consumption. Nutrition, food quality and food safety. Socio-political factors that impinge on the ability to satisfy global food needs: § Land, agricultural and food policy § International relations and trade § Access to food § Financial policy § Wars and ethnic unrest Research policies and priorities to ensure food security in its various dimensions.