title: Validating the measurement of social capital in Bangladesh: a cognitive approach.
abstract: Despite the growing evidence linking social capital to improvements in health and health behaviors, reliable measures of social capital are lacking in low-income countries. To accurately measure social capital in new contexts, there is a need to validate social capital survey questions in each new cultural setting. In this article, we examine the content validity of the measurement of social capital in Bangladesh using qualitative methods. In December 2012, we conducted four focus group discussions and 32 cognitive interviews in one rural subdistrict (Durgapur) and one urban slum (Mirpur). We used the findings from the focus groups and cognitive interviews to create a new social capital survey instrument that can be used by health and development organizations in Bangladesh. Furthermore, in this article, we provide insight into social capital survey research in general, including suggestions for the measurement of group membership, social support, collective action, and social trust.
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA wstory@unc.edu.
authors: William T
authors: WT
authors: Story
authors: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: Fahmida
authors: F
authors: Taleb
authors: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: S M Monirul
authors: SM
authors: Ahasan
authors: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors: Nabeel A
authors: NA
authors: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D003071:Cognition; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011204:Poverty Areas; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D066270:Social Capital; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust
keywords: Asia, South / Southeast; community and public health; focus groups; instrument development; interviews, semistructured; participation, social; qualitative; trust; validity