Psychometric validation of the VIP care battery and composite scale for vulnerable populations inclusiveness in...

Inclusiveness in healthcare encompasses inclusivity, diversity, and equity, and is hypothesized to be affected by healthcare professionals' ethical attitudes and moral behaviors, emotional intelligence, and well-being. This study aimed to validate a battery of tests and develop a composite scale to assess inclusiveness components in pharmaceutical care among a sample of community pharmacists. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to community pharmacists and students training in community pharmacies. The questionnaire collected participants' sociodemographic characteristics and used validated scales to assess their inclusivity, prioritization of patients, ethical attitudes, moral behaviors, emotional intelligence, well-being, and work fatigue. After confirming scale validity, clustering analysis was conducted, a composite scale was derived (VIP-Care Scale), and correlates of inclusiveness scores were identified. The validated battery comprised three components: (1) Healthcare Equity, Inclusivity, and Professional Integrity; (2) Moral and Ethical Perceptions; and (3) Psychological Wellness and Interpersonal Skills. Overall, participants demonstrated moderate levels of inclusiveness. Female gender, working in high-volume pharmacies (> 100 patients/day), and extensive experience (> 12 years) were significantly associated with higher inclusiveness scores. Conversely, lower inclusiveness was linked to working 1-16 h per week and the absence of a designated place in the pharmacy for discussing confidential information. This study could validate a battery of tests and an associated composite scale (the VIP-Care Scale) to measure inclusiveness in pharmaceutical care and identify its correlates. The scales demonstrated robust construct and structural validity in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, with excellent internal consistency, establishing the battery's validity and reliability. Future validation should assess test-retest reliability, cross-cultural applicability, and convergent validity.