Development of the Spleen Deficiency Evidence Scale for County Residentsand Test of Reliability and Validity
Objective This study was to develop a"Spleen Deficiency Certificate Scale for County Residents"and test its reliability.It was then developed as an objective tool for Chinese medicine evidence and symptoms for the prevention and control of chronic diseases among county residents.Methods The scale was compiled based on the team's previous foundation.The reliability of the scale was evaluated using internal consistency reliability and split-half reliability,while its validity was evaluated using structural validity,content validity,calibration validity,and discriminant validity.Results The study included 213 adults from Lanxi,of whom 155 were tested for intestinal flora.Seven scale entries were identified:Fatigue,fear of cold,bland mouth,loss of appetite,diarrhea,weak bowel movements,and tooth-marked tongue.In the reliability test,Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.828 and McDonald's ω coefficient was 0.825.The"stomach pain"and"bloating"entries did not meet the inclusion requirements and were recommended to be deleted.The Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.839.The exploratory factor analysis of the two common factors explained 61.6%of the cumulative variance.The calibration validity indicated that the ratio of salivary amylase activity before and after acid stimulation was 0.826±0.253 in the group with spleen deficiency.Significant differences(P<0.05)in the genera Dialister,Shigella,Leuconostoc,Photobacterium,Trabulsiella,and Parvimonas between the spleen deficiency group and the non-spleen deficiency group.Conclusion The Spleen Deficiency Scale for County Residents demonstrates good reliability and validity.
Spleen deficiency syndromeScale developmentReliability and validityIntestinal flora