Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of Malay-translated Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Main Author: Helmi N.Z.; Abd Razak Z.N.R.; Fozi N.A.A.M.; Md Isa K.A.; Masuri M.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85134492661&doi=10.47836%2fmjmhs18.8.26&partnerID=40&md5=2797c740c18aaa08f118ebfd21295189

Introduction: Food insecurity is a major concern in low-income homes, and often leads to health issues. It arises when people do not have consistent access to adequate food to live an active and healthy life. A variety of measures are available to measure food insecurity, each with its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is the most recent tool designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assess experiences associated with food insecurity. The tool has cross-cultural equivalence, validity, and reliability. The purpose of this study is to determine the Malay version of FIES's validity (content and construct) and reliability. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 124 participants aged 15 and up from the Felda Bukit Cherakah, Puncak Alam, Selangor community (n=124). A panel of experts examined the questionnaire, followed by a field-test for clarity conducted among 20 selected subjects. The construct’s validity was determined using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the internal consistency was determined using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: Content validity was expressed in interrater agreement (IRA) with 100% agreement. The content validity index (CVI) had a value of 100%, and factorial validity index (FVI) showed that majority of the experts allocated the domain for the correct items. Face validity proved that the Malay version of FIES was relatively understandable, simple and answerable. Factor analysis of the FIES questions revealed two underlying structures; Factor 1 (food uncertainty) and Factor 2 (quantity). Meanwhile, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient indicates that FIES had acceptable internal consistency (0.759). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the adapted FIES measure may have some utility in assessing food insecurity in sub-urban settings. In conclusion, FIES is a valid and reliable tool to measure food insecurity among the Malaysian population. © 2022 UPM Press. All rights reserved.