title: Cross-cultural reliability of the Health Perception Index and the Health Control and Competence Index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the reliability of two Spanish instruments to measure (a) health perceptions, and (b) health control and competence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Triangulated methodology used with two different Latino populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preliminary qualitative data were collected in Mexico. Based on themes from Mexico, data were collected from 44 men (Dominican Republic, n=24 ; Peru, n=20) with two instruments, the Health Competence and Control Index and the Health Perception Index. Alpha reliability estimates were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results of the study confirmed reliability of the instruments in one of the Latino populations, consistent with understanding of the constructs found in the Mexican study. Reliability was low in the second Latino population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although results from this study are useful, further translation and research procedures are needed to address the many differences among ethnically similar groups and to further strengthen internal and external validity of instruments designed to assess Latino men's perceptions of health and their control over health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, California State University Fullerton, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868, USA. vsalyers@fullerton.edu
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salyers
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004293:Dominican Republic; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires