Formation and validation of questionnaire to assess Jāṭharāgni

BACKGROUND: Jāṭharāgni (metabolic fire) is of the prime importance in the maintenance of health as well as causation of diseases. Food which is consumed by the person shares the major responsibility for being healthy or manifestation of diseases. The relation between food and health is mediated by Jāṭharāgni (the metabolic agent in Ayurveda). There are four different states of Jāṭharāgni viz, Mandāgni (mild or weak state of metabolic fire), Viṣamāgni (irregular state of metabolic fire), Tīkṣnāgni (sharp or intense state of metabolic fire), and Samāgni (Normal state of metabolic fire). Samāgni (Normal state of metabolic fire) is said to be the normal State and maintains the health of an individual. All the other states are considered as abnormal. OBJECTIVES: To frame and validate a Questionnaire to assess the state of Jāṭharāgni. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative research that involved interview method and cluster sampling method. A total of 500 volunteers of either gender in two groups viz., apparently healthy and unhealthy were assessed for their Jāṭharāgni. Questionnaire was framed with 64 items. A total of 14 questions under Viṣamāgni (irregular state of metabolic fire), 13 under Tīkshṇāgni, 13 under Mandāgni and 24 questions under Samāgni were framed. The questionnaire was in optional format with 5 item likert's scale pattern and the validation was done by Cronbach's Alpha for internal consistency. RESULT: The internal consistency of the questionnaire using Cronbach's Alpha was 0.916. The internal consistency of Viṣamāgni domain was 0.909; Teekshnagni domain was 0.873; Mandāgni domain was 0.894; and Samāgni domain was 0.876. CONCLUSION: The internal consistency of the questionnaire was 0.909 which is indicative of the excellent internal consistency of questionnaire. The lacuna of tool to assess state of Jāṭharāgni in Ayurveda is filled by this questionnaire.