Instrument for assessing (self)care competence in people with gastrostomy and their caregivers: a methodological study

Abstract

Objectives: to describe the development process of an instrument to monitor the development of (self-)care competencies in individuals with gastrostomies and their caregivers. Methods: methodological research study. Content validity was obtained through a focus group of experts. The instrument was pre-tested on a sample of 18 participants, using a non-probabilistic and intentional sampling technique. Inter-rater agreement was also assessed at a hospital in northern Portugal. Results: the study resulted in an instrument with 34 measurement indicators, grouped into six domains, with recognized content validity. In the instrument pre-test, good inter-rater agreement values of 80-100% were obtained. Conclusions: the instrument proved to be comprehensive and easy to apply in assessing (self)care competency in feeding ostomies, offering potential for future validity investigations.