title: Validation of scales measuring attitudes and norms related to mammography screening in women veterans.
abstract: Validation of psychosocial measures for use in mammography screening research has been given inadequate attention in the literature. The authors report on the validation of 5 measures examining 4 attitudinal constructs (i.e., pros, cons, outcome expectations, and cancer worries) and 1 social influence construct (i.e., subjective norms) in a 22-item inventory. The study participants consisted of a national, randomly sampled population of women veterans (n = 2,910). After minor revision of scales, the authors found independent measures for 4 constructs: pros, cons, cancer worries, and subjective norms. The authors concluded that these scales have acceptable psychometric properties; support construct validity; and provide brief, reliable, and valid measures of attitudes toward and norms regarding mammography screening. These scales may be useful for intervention research.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, TX, USA. tiroj@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Jasmin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tiro
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Perz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: Carlo C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: DiClemente
authors.forename: Sally W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Vernon
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*