The German Know-IAD: psychometric testing and preliminary results

Abstract Objective This study aims to psychometrically test the German version of the Know-IAD questionnaire and describe the knowledge of incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) held by nurses in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses in Austrian, German, and Swiss hospitals. Data were collected online on general characteristics of IAD and on the German Know-IAD, which consists of three domains and 18 items. Data validity was assessed by analysing item validity and discriminant validity. Results In total, 437 nurses participated. The mean participant age was 40 years, and most participants (82.2%) were female. The difficulty index of the entire questionnaire was 0.67, and the discrimination index was calculated to be 0.29. The participants answered 66.7% of the Know-IAD items correctly, ranging from 71.4% (domain aetiology and risk ) to 60% (domain classification and diagnostics ). Conclusion The study results show that the psychometric properties of Know-IAD are moderate, underscoring the need for further psychometric testing or even adaptation. The level of knowledge about IAD held by the participating nurses was moderate, and deficits in classification and diagnostics were identified. The findings indicate a great need for further training regarding IAD in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.