Psychometric Evaluation of the HIV Knowledge Questionnaire-18 in a Black Canadian Population

This cross‑sectional study examined HIV/AIDS knowledge as a determinant of preventative and self‑protective sexual behaviour. The HIV Knowledge Questionnaire-18 (HIV-KQ-18) is one of the most widely used HIV knowledge scales. The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the HIV-KQ-18 in Black people in Ontario.

We analyzed the data from 1302 participants who completed the HIV-KQ-18 in a study conducted among Black people in Ontario. We estimated the internal consistency of this scale using Cronbach's alpha. We analyzed the construct validity of the scale, testing hypotheses about HIV knowledge and age, education, employment status, gender, language and city using one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-tests.

Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.80-0.84) suggesting good internal consistency. We observed significant differences in HIV knowledge scores across age, employment status, education, and gender. Higher HIV knowledge scores were also observed among participants residing in Toronto compared to Ottawa and among those who completed the questionnaire in English compared to French.

The HIV-KQ-18 is a valid instrument to assess the level of HIV/AIDS knowledge among Black Ontarians, with robust internal consistency and construct validity. The HIV-KQ-18 identified important differences in HIV knowledge based on the characteristics examined, indicating the need for targeted initiatives to increase HIV-related knowledge.