Validity and reliability of Turkish version of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to adapt the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale to Turkish and evaluate its validity and reliability. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This research was conducted methodologically. The sample of the study consisted of 317 individuals from the patient relatives in the waiting rooms, who have children between the ages 9–16, who applied to the Suleyman Demirel University Hospital policlinic in December 2019. A questionnaire developed by the researcher and the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale were used as data collection tools. RESULTS: Explanatory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale. In the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, the Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin coefficient was 0.897 and the Bartlett test’s chi-square value was 1319.67 and the result was significant (P <0.001). Considering the factor loads of the items, it varies between 0.608 and 0.845. As a result of the explanatory factor analysis, it was seen that the scale consists of two factors. This finding is consistent with the original form of the scale. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.86. CONCLUSION: As a result of the validity and reliability analysis, the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale was found to be a valid and reliable scale for the Turkish society, which consists of 9 items and 2 sub-dimensions.