Validation of a Questionnaire on COVID-19 Knowledge and Attitude for Dental Patients

Objectives: The current study aimed to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire in both English and Persian to assess dental patients' knowledge and attitude during the COVID-19 outbreak. Materials and Methods: Through a comprehensive literature review, we designed the primary questionnaire in English and then translated it into Persian. The questionnaire consisted of six sections covering background information, knowledge of emergency dental treatments, transmission routes of disease, required preparation, source of information, and attitude. To evaluate the validity of the questionnaire, the researchers obtained expert opinions using the Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave). They distributed online versions of the questionnaire to a total of 60 English-speaking adults in Nigeria and the United States, and 60 Persian-speaking adults in Iran to measure its reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Results: I-CVI score, S-CVI/Ave, and Cronbach's alpha of the questionnaire ranged from 0.29-1, 0.62-0.99, and 41.1-87.6%, respectively. After reviewing the scores and comments received on each item, taking into account the opinions of the research team, a decision was made to remove, merge, modify, or retain certain items. This led to a final version of the questionnaire consisting of nine questions in the background section and 46 items in the remaining five sections. Conclusion: Overall, the developed questionnaire appears to be valid and reliable for assessing the knowledge and attitude of dental patients toward COVID-19 in dental settings. It can potentially serve as an appropriate scale in future infectious disease epidemics across diverse populations.