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A low-birth-weight risk assessment scale: development and validation through a questionnaire-based survey

Kazuko Sonoda1, Yuko Matsunari2, Syuji Takei3

  • 1Faculty of Fukuoka Medical Technology Teikyo Univaersity, 6-22, Misaki-machi, Omuta-shi, Fukuoka, 836-8505, Japan. kasonoda@fmt.teikyo-u.ac.jp.

BMC Health Services Research
|January 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

A new scale effectively assesses risk factors for low birth weight in term infants. This tool aids in identifying at-risk pregnancies for targeted health guidance.

Area of Science:

  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Declining birth weights in Japan are linked to societal changes and food availability.
  • Identifying risk factors for low birth weight (LBW) in term infants is crucial for intervention.
  • Existing assessment methods may not adequately capture the multifactorial nature of LBW.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a reliable and valid scale for assessing risk factors associated with low birth weight in term infants.
  • To evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed LBW risk assessment scale.
  • To provide a tool for early identification of pregnancies at risk for delivering LBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • A self-administered postal questionnaire was distributed to mothers of nursery/kindergarten-aged children.
  • Exploratory factor analysis (principal factor method, promax rotation) was used to confirm the scale's factor structure.
  • Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation; validity was confirmed through known-groups and internal validity analyses.

Main Results:

  • A 25-item scale was developed, encompassing nine factors including guidance, rest, spousal/family/societal support, and lifestyle habits.
  • The overall Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.701, indicating good internal consistency.
  • Known-groups validity was established, with significant differences in scale scores based on birth weight, birth history, and maternal smoking status.

Conclusions:

  • The developed scale demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing low birth weight risk factors.
  • This scale can serve as a valuable indicator for identifying pregnancies at risk of LBW.
  • Future integration into medical questionnaires could enhance health guidance for at-risk pregnant women.
Abstract

Keywords:
Low birth weightPrincipal factor analysisPromax rotationRisk assessment scaleRisk factor

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