Using the Content Validity Index to Determine Content Validity of an Instrument Assessing Health Care Providers’ General Knowledge of Human Trafficking

It has been estimated that 27 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking (U.S. Department of State, 2013). As many as 30% to 50% of trafficking victims have come into contact with a health care provider during their time in captivity (Baldwin et al., 2011; Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2005). Health care providers play a pivotal role in recognizing and assisting victims. The purpose of this research was to create a valid instrument that measures U.S. health care providers’ knowledge regarding human trafficking. The Human Trafficking General Knowledge Instrument was created and content validity evaluated by eight experts in the field of human trafficking. An item content validity index was calculated for each item. Item content validity indexes greater than 0.78 were kept and items with a lower content validity index were edited or removed. A second version of the instrument was created and reevaluated by three of the same experts. Item content validity index results were calculated along with an average scale-level content validity score. The final instrument had an average scale-level content validity score of 0.90 and 22 items. The instrument will need to be tested with health care providers to determine reliability. The instrument has evidence of content validity.