Abstract
IntroductionDrug dependence and the resultant problems notably decrease the quality of life (QOL). Measuring the QOL in persons who use drugs (PWUDs) and planning to improve it can be helpful for rehabilitation programs. Given the absence of a standard tool to measure the quality of life of PWUD, the present study is an attempt to validate psychometric and cultural characteristics of non-injection drug users’ QOL scale.MethodThe study was carried out as a validation and methodological work. The study population consisted of 273 PWUDs in Kermanshah-based drug clinics including outgoing and hospitalized patients. The participants were selected through convenient-quota sampling. After securing the required permission from the copyright owner of the tool, it was forward/backward translated. Face validity and content validity were determined quantitatively and qualitatively. To examine construct validity of the tool, explorative factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (v.25) and LISREL (v.8).ResultsExplorative factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results supported the tool with one factor and 22 items. The R2 index in the model was equal to 0.99, which means that 99% of the variation of dependent variable (total score of QOL) is attributed to independent variable (22 statements). In other words, 99% of the variation of dependent variable is due to the independent variables in the model. The main indices of the model based on CFA all were higher than 0.9, which indicates goodness of fit of the model (χ2/DF = 2.18, CFI, NFI, TLI = 0.93 GF = 0.84, REMSEA = 0.066, R2 = 0.99). The correlative coefficient was significant (p < 0.05). The reliability of the tool based on internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) for the subscales ranged from 0.84 to 0.85 and equal to 0.84 for the whole tool.ConclusionThe Farsi version of non-injection drug users’ QOL scale had acceptable indices and it was applicable to assess QOL in the target population. The tool can be used in different fields of drug addiction.
Highlights
Drug dependence and the resultant problems notably decrease the quality of life (QOL)
Explorative factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results supported the tool with one factor and 22 items
The main indices of the model based on CFA all were higher than 0.9, which indicates goodness of fit of the model (χ2/DF = 2.18, CFI, Normed Fit Index (NFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.93 GF = 0.84, REMSEA = 0.066, R2 = 0.99)
Summary
The KMO test was obtained equal to 0.869 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was equal to 1471.07 These tests were used to examine suitibility of sample size presumptions for EFA (p-value < 0.001). To examine validity of the model, the p-value was less than 0.001 given the factor loadings of each statement. Given the mean value and t-value, the statements were in an acceptable range (Table 2). To examine internal consistency of the statements with the total score, Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used. The results supported direct and significant correlation of DUQOL statements with the total score of the tool (Table 4). Pearson’s correlation test supported a direct and significant correlation between DUQOL and WHOQOL-BFEF (r = 0.779, p-value = 0.0001).
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