Background: Despite the essence of
HIV-related surveys, their precision in measurement of intended constructs has
been an area of controversy. Considering the increasing trend of sexual
transmission of HIV among women, standard gender-sensitive tools can yield
pivotal information for researchers and policy-makers in Iran. Aim: To evaluate
the reliability and validity of a questionnaire (IMSB) based on the
Information-Motivation-Behavior model of HIV-related behavior prediction.
Methods: The IMSB survey constituted of five main domains: HIV-related
knowledge, attitudes toward people living with HIV, motivation to practice
safe-sex, skills to practice safe-sex, and HIV-related behaviors. Completed
questionnaires (n = 189) from pilot phases of three projects were accessed. We
assessed face and content validity through expert consultation and respondent
feed-backs for the primary pool of items. Discriminant validity was measured
utilizing non-parametric tests. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for each domain
to assess internal consistency, and paired t-tests were used to measure
stability over time. Results: The primary pool of items was reduced in the
process of validation. The discriminant validity was appraised to be favorable
since the survey can differentiate between age groups, women with different
levels of education and marital status. The survey was reliable in 4 domains;
but a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.6 was reported for the fifth domain (HIV-related
behaviors). Younger women had higher knowledge and motivation scores; single
women were more motivated to practice safe-sex and divorced/widowed women had
lower motivation and skills scores. Conclusion: This questionnaire can be used
as a valid and reliable tool to measure the IMB constructs. The lower reliability
of the “behavior” domain is probably rooted in societal norms and cultural
definitions. The integration of motivation and skill domains can provide
valuable information for clinicians/interventionists to address vulnerabilities
experienced by their female clients.
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