A questionnaire-based study to develop an instrument measuring poor interest in biostatistics among postgraduate medical students and faculties

BACKGROUND: It has been realized by senior researchers that interest in biostatistics is very poor among medical professionals. Knowledge of biostatistics plays an important role in medical research. Studies conducted about knowledge, attitude toward biostatistics by many researchers, but there were no works about factors in relation to it. Considering this gap, we tried to develop a new instrument. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Item generation and questionnaire formation were done using focus group discussion involving seven experts from different departments of medical colleges. Face validity and content validity and pilot testing were carried out step by step. In estimating reliability, internal consistency measured after collecting data from 66 study participants. Data were collected through self-administered paper-based questionnaire where response in each item was in five-point Likert scale. Cronbach's alpha for reliability analysis was used. RESULTS: In first stage, item generation through FGD, then face validity was assessed by senior faculties. Content validity was checked by Aiken's V index. In initial stages, with six items, Cronbach's alpha was 0.805. Scale mean and variance were 24.24 and 27.26. After final reliability testing, it became 0.866 with four items where scale mean and variance came to 15.85 and 16.38. CONCLUSION: All the six items were important factors. Reliability improved when knowledge in statistics in higher secondary level and biostatistics classes in PG course were eliminated as factors. More qualitative research is needed for better understanding of this concept.