Climate Change Health Impact Awareness Scale: Validity and Reliability Study of the Adult Form

Background: Climate change is a global public health issue that poses serious risks to human health. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable scale to assess adults' awareness levels regarding the health effects of climate change.

Method: The research was conducted using a methodological design. The study group consisted of 336 adults aged 18 years and older. The scale development process consisted of four stages: (1) comprehensive literature review, (2) expert consultation, (3) pilot testing, and (4) psychometric evaluation. Content validity was calculated using the Davis technique based on evaluations obtained from 11 experts. The pilot study was conducted with 30 participants and tested the linguistic clarity and structural adequacy of the items. Data were collected from volunteer participants using a self-report questionnaire method. The validity of the scale was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses; its reliability was assessed using item–total correlations, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test–retest analyses.

Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure. However, confirmatory factor analysis detected high correlation (r = 1.00) between two sub-dimensions and model misfit, prompting the testing of an alternative two-factor model. The revised model contained a total of 16 items. The items were grouped into two sub-dimensions: Awareness of Health Risks Related to Climate Change (Cronbach's α = 0.87) and Awareness of Disease Risks Related to Climate Change (Cronbach's α = 0.91). The overall internal consistency coefficient of the scale was found to be high (Cronbach’s α = 0.913). The total explained variance was 53.68%. The model fit indices are acceptable (RMSEA = 0.076, CFI = 0.97, GFI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.057). Item–total correlations range from 0.42 to 0.65, with all items above acceptable limits. Test–retest reliability was found to be ICC = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.49–0.86) for a single measurement and ICC = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.66–0.92) for the average measurement. Other psychometric findings also supported the reliability of the scale.

Conclusion: The Climate Change Health Impact Awareness Scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool.