The suboptimal health status questionnaire: Turkish validity and reliability study

Background Suboptimal health status (SHS), while understood worldwide, is a widespread public health problem and a reversible condition that presents symptoms in the pre-disease process, ranging from optimal health to illness. Therefore, relevant questionnaires need to be developed across diverse populations and cultures to predict and prevent SHS and to inform personalized medical practices. Therefore, this study aims to adapt the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire to Turkish and evaluate its validity and reliability among Turkish nurses. Methods Between January and March 2022, 247 nurses were recruited by convenience sampling at Muğla Training and Research Hospital. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability analysis were performed, respectively, to test the construct validity and reliability of the scale. Results Results indicated excellent reliability (content validity index = 0.78, Cronbach’s α = 0.95). To investigate the time invariance of the scale, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used, and ICC values were found between 0.64 and 0.89. CFA results, goodness-of-fit measures were found to be within the limits of perfect fit (root mean square residual = 0.048, goodness-of-fitness index = 0.971, adjusted goodness-of-fitness index = 0.965, normalized goodness-of-fitness index = 0.966, relative goodness-of-fitness index = 0.961, and parsimony normalized goodness-of-fitness index = 0.853). Spearman’s rho coefficient between the first and second applications was found to be 0.76. The correlations between subscale scores obtained from the first and second applications ranged from 0.62 to 0.88. All correlations were positive and statistically significant ( p < 0.05). Conclusion The Turkish version of the SHSQ-25 scale was found to be a reliable and valid measurement instrument and can be used to measure SHS among Turkish nurses.