DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE ASSESSING THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES TOWARDS MEDICALLY IMPORTANT INSECTS AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN MALAYSIA

• Published in: Journal of Health and Translational Medicine
• Main Author: Azmi N.A.N.; Zamri N.A.; Heo C.C.; Tengku Ahmad Basri T.S.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya 2023
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85172660786&doi=10.22452%2fjummec.sp2023no2.27&partnerID=40&md5=7e433cf3f820ceb40495916da8aa0a1f

Insects can be found in a wide range of habitats, including deep jungles, agricultural plantations and even in our own homes and gardens. There are, however, harmful insects that have been classified as medically important, such as mosquitoes and flies. The goal of this study is to design, develop and validate a questionnaire for measuring primary schoolchildren’s knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) about medically important insects in Malaysia. A mixed method study was employed, and the questionnaire was designed in Phase 1 by reviewing several literature studies. Twenty questionnaire items were face-validated by 24 recognised experts in medical entomology during Phase 2. The construct validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), principal components analysis (PCA) and Cronbach’s alpha (α). As a result, the questionnaire’s final collection has 16 items in each of their respective domains. With Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7, the consistency was found to be acceptable. The developed questionnaire can be used to assess schoolchildren’s KAP towards medically important insects, hence increasing the possibility of reaching two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), good health and well-being (SDG 3) and quality education (SDG 4). © 2023, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. All rights reserved.