title: Psychometric Properties of the Patient Self-Advocacy Scale: The Persian Version.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advances in science and technology and the changes in lifestyle have changed the concept of health in terms of etiology and mortality. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the original Patient Self-Advocacy Scale for use with an Iranian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current study, 50 chronic patients between the ages of 25 and 75 were selected as samples. This study was conducted in May 2013 at Bou Ali Sina Hospital in Sari. The translation process and cultural adaptation of the Patient Self-Advocacy Scale were conducted. The face validity and content validity of the instrument were formally verified by analyzing the feedback of patients and health professionals. In order to evaluate questionnaire's reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for each item and each domain; and the Cronbach's alpha was calculated for the entire instruments and each domain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 50 patients participating in the study, 36% were male and 64% were female. The mean age of the patients was 42.5. To comply with the Iranian culture and the study target population, slight changes were applied to the process of translation and validation. In the present study, intraclass correlation coefficient for each item was 0.8-1, which demonstrates excellent reliability of the questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.75 for overall scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Persian version of Patient Self-Advocacy Scale was valid and reliable. Hence, it can be used by public health researchers and health system policy makers for programming and offering patient-oriented health services based on patients' comments, needs, and preferences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Service Administration, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran; ; Department of Health Service Administration, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran;
authors.forename: Shaghayegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vahdat
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Service Administration, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran; ; Department of Health Service Administration, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran; ; Public Health Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran;
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hamzehgardeshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Nasibeh Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ; Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Centre, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran;
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hamzehgardeshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Administration, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Somayeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hessam
keywords: Involvement; Patients; Psychometrics