title: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Iranian Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Disaster Preparedness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the key role of Iranian nurses throughout disaster management, there is no instrument available to examine nurses' current disaster preparation levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop and analyse the reliability and validity of a questionnaire on the nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice of disaster preparedness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scale was developed based on a comprehensive literature review and applied to 112 nurses in three public educational center affiliated to Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. Relibility was obtained using the test-retest method. Cronbach's alpha was used to verify internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the validity of the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Explanatory factor analysis using varimax rotation revealed seven main factors associated with the nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding disaster preparedness. The questionnaire overall internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha was 0.785, showing acceptable internal consistency. The intraclass correlation coefficient using Test-retest method was 0.82. Total variance was 67.57%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The instrument has satisfactory reliability and validity indices and can be used to measure nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding disaster preparedness.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences , Ilam, Iran .
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tavan
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences , Ilam, Iran .
authors.forename: Waleyeh
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Menati
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Nursing Department, Ilam University of Medical Sciences , Ilam, Iran .
authors.forename: Arman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azadi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Psychosocial Injuries Research Center, Ilam University of Medical sciences , Ilam, Iran .
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sayehmiri
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Nursing Department, Ilam University of Medical Sciences , Ilam, Iran .
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebi
keywords: Disaster management; Emergency preparedness; Factor analysis; Iran; Scale development