Diabetes-Prev Scale: validation of preventive measures for type 2 diabetes in inhabitants of Cajamarca, validation design

Preventive measures effectively reduce the prevalence of diabetes; therefore, having valid instruments to assess them is a priority.

To validate the content, construct, and reliability of the Diabetes-Prev Scale in the prevention of type 2 diabetes in the population of the Cajamarca region, Peru.

Descriptive study with validation design. The scale was developed based on the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association and consists of 36 items validated by eight health and nutrition professionals. A survey pilot test was conducted with 385 adults living in the 13 provinces of Cajamarca. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis and reliability using McDonald's œ.

The scale comprised 33 items divided into five dimensions: consumption of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes (11 items), harmful dietary and physical habits (6 items), beneficial eating and sleeping habits (5 items), food additives and body weight (6 items), and physical activity and hydration (5 items). Factor loadings were greater than 0.30, and the cumulative variance was 43.66%. The overall scale achieved a reliability of 0.88, making it an adequate and necessary instrument for assessing preventive measures for diabetes in the population.

The psychometric properties of instruments that assess various diabetes topics using equivalent statistical tests are also appropriate.

The Diabetes-Prev Scale is a contextualized instrument for the three geographic regions of Peru, offering clear textual and content comprehension with a simple and brief application suitable for diverse populations.