Global Health Competency Self-Confidence Scale: Tool Development and Validation

Global health education in tertiary institutions worldwide is at an all-time high. Until recently, most evaluations of student learning from a global exposure was in the form of a reflective paper with little information that would enable standardized assessment of the competencies gained. In 2015, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) published a set of interprofessional global health competencies that were drawn upon to create a Global Health Competency Self-Confidence Scale and workbook. This study reports the development and validation of the scale and its implications for global health education.

In total, 126 graduate students from a university in New York State participated in the validation process of the Global Health Competency Self-Confidence Scale-an 11-domain, 22-item competency self-assessment to measure the level of confidence of students before and after undertaking a global learning experience. The team used factor analysis to compare the scale to the Global Health Competency Survey for content validity and reliability.

Reliability and validity of the scale was determined. An exploratory factor analysis identified 4 standalone components as: (1) Ethical and Professional Practice, (2) Capacity Strengthening and Planning, (3) Structural and Social Determinants of Health, and (4) Strategic Analysis. The scale showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.92) and test-retest reliability (reliability (r)=0.455; P<.001). Concurrent validity was established.

The Global Health Competency Self-Confidence Scale contributes to a further consolidation and refinement of competency groupings into components of global health education and offers a scale to assess student learning in global placements.