title: Validity and reliability of the Work Ability Index in primary care workers in Argentina.
abstract: This study evaluates the validity and reliability of the Work Ability Index (WAI) in Argentina. An instrument was applied to 100 workers, all agents of Primary Health Care in the county of General Pueyrredón. In the construct validity, the dimensional structure was studied by means of exploratory factor analysis, based on a polychoric matrix and parallel analysis to obtain the number of factors. In the correlation validation, the Spearman correlation was estimated between the WAI and the dimensions of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The reliability assessment was measured by Cronbach's alpha estimate. The result of the internal consistency of the scale was 0.80, indicating acceptable reliability. The WAI score yielded the following results: 12% moderate, 50% good and 38% optimal. In the validation process, a three-dimensional structure was identified which accounts for 66% of the total variance of the data through the main components. The theoretical assumptions of the construct validity confirmed the direct and significant correlation between WAI scores and the dimensions of health status assessment, with the highest value in the physical functioning dimension (0.478) and the lowest in the bodily pain dimension (-0.218). It was concluded that the WAI, translated and adapted into Spanish, showed adequate psychometric properties and can therefore be used in association studies between aspects of work and their impact on health.
authors.affiliation: Bachelor of Nursing. Nurse at the Departamento de Vigilancia y Clínica Epidemiológica. University Teaching Specialist. Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia Dr. Juan H. Jara, Argentina. mnorma_peraltay@ahoo.com.ar
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.affiliation: Phd in Biomedical Engineering. Investigadora adjunta, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública. Coordinadora Adjunta del Programa de Epidemiología en Salud Pública. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Glória
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Godoi Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: PhD in Health Sciences. Public Health Researcher del Laboratório de Educação em Ambiente e Saúde, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rosane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Härter Griep
authors.affiliation: Physician. Head of the Department of Specialized Education, Instituto Nacional de Epidemiología Dr. Juan H. Jara, Argentina.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006282:Health Personnel; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Health Personnel; Validity of Tests; Argentina