Sexual Health Practices Evaluation Scale: A Methodological Study

Introduction: It is essential to use valid and reliable tools in evaluating nurses' sexual health care practices. This study aims to develop a valid and reliable Sexual Health Care Practices Evaluation Scale (SHCPES) to be used in evaluating the sexual healthcare practices of nurses. Method: Cross-sectional and methodological research methods were used in the research. The research sample consisted of 309 nurses working in hospitals in Turkey's Central Black Sea Region. The results of quantitative and qualitative studies in the relevant literature were used to create the scale item pool. Expert opinion was taken to test the validity of the content. Content validity and factor analysis were used to determine the scale's validity, two-half test reliability was used to determine its reliability, and the Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient was calculated. Results: According to the exploratory factor analysis results of the scale, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value was found to be 0.98, Bartlett test χ2 = 13275.67, df = 703, p <.000. After removing items with factor loading values below 0.40 from the scale, the factor structure obtained explained 68.71% of the total variance. According to the confirmatory factor analysis results, χ2 =.000, CMIN/DF = 2.74, RMSEA = 0.07, GFI = 0.79, NFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.92, and CFI = 0.93. . CSBU-SS consists of two sub-dimensions titled "Initiating and Maintaining Communication" and "Sexual Health Care Practices" and 30 items. In all subscales of the scale, Cronbach Alpha values were found to be 0.98 for the overall scale, 0.96, and 0.94 for the subgroups. McDonald's Omega Coefficient was used to show that the scale's internal consistency was strong, and similar results were obtained. McDonald's Omega Coefficient values were 0.98 for the overall scale and 0.98–0.94 for the subgroups. Split test reliability was calculated with the Spearman-Brown formula after dividing the scale into two equivalent halves, and the result was found to be 0.98. Conclusion: The study determined that CSBU-DS is a valid and reliable measurement tool in determining nurses' sexual health care practices. It is recommended that the psychometric structure of the scale be evaluated in more comprehensive studies on different samples.