The development of a self-management evaluation scale for elderly adults with hypertension based on the capability, opportunity, and motivation-behaviour (COM-B) model

BACKGROUND: Using accurate assessment tools to assess patients in clinical practice is important to mining influencing factors and implementing interventions. However, most evaluation tools for the self-management of elderly patients with hypertension lack a theoretical basis and wide applicability, which makes the intervention effect insignificant. METHODS: Based on the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model, combined with literature review and qualitative research, a questionnaire item pool was initially formulated; then the initial items were screened and adjusted through expert consultation and pre-testing to form an initial scale. A field survey of 450 elderly hypertensive patients was then performed using the initial scale to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Cronbach’s alpha, test–retest reliability and composite reliability were used to test the reliability of the scale, and the validity of the scale was evaluated from two aspects: content validity and construct validity. The evaluation results of the content validity of the scale by experts were used as the content validity index; the results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used as the structural validity index to further verify the model structure of the scale and develop a formal scale. RESULTS: The final self-management scale included 4 dimensions and 33 items. The Scale-Content Validity Index was 0.920. Exploratory factor analysis extracted four factors that explained 71.3% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha of the formal scale was 0.867, test–retest reliability was 0.894, and composite reliability of the 4 dimensions were within 0.943 ~ 0.973. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the scale had good construct validity. CONCLUSIONS: The Self-management Capability, Support and Motivation-Behaviour scale for elderly hypertensive patients has good reliability and validity, providing a tool for medical staff to evaluate the self-management level of elderly hypertensive patients.