Development of Satisfaction and Burden scales for community activities of health promotion volunteers

PURPOSE: Health promotion volunteers (HPVs) who are members of community health organizations are being fostered by local governments to work in local communities in Japan. The purpose of this study was to develop Satisfaction and Burden Scales for HPVs in their community activities. METHODS: The subjects were 604 HPVs in two cities in a prefecture. Based on the findings of preliminary interviews, ten items for the Satisfaction Scale and fourteen items for the Burden Scale were prepared, and their content validities were confirmed. A mail-in self-check questionnaire survey was conducted in September 2005. RESULTS: A total of 433 questionnaires were analyzed (valid response rate: 71.7%). Two factors and nine items for the Satisfaction Scale and three factors and fourteen items for the Burden Scale were obtained based on factor analysis. Convergent validities of both scales and discriminant validity of the Burden Scale were supported by the results of the multitrait-multimethod matrix for Satisfaction and Burden Scales, and one item each for general satisfaction and general burden regarding their activities. The reliabilities of both scales were confirmed with reference to the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Moreover, all item-total correlations were moderately or strongly positive. CONCLUSION: This study provided support for the reliability and the validity of Satisfaction and Burden Scales for HPVs in their community activities. The applicability of both scales is suggested.