Reliability Assessment of a Health Questionnaire among Sedentary Female University Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRSET25122183Keywords:
Female, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Reliability, Sedentary, Test-RetestAbstract
Health assessment questionnaires are essential tools for evaluating physical activity, lifestyle patterns, and psychological well-being. Ensuring their reliability is crucial for obtaining consistent self-reported data, particularly among sedentary female university students, who may exhibit unique health behaviours. This study examines the test-retest reliability of a health assessment questionnaire, assessing its stability over time and identifying variations in responses based on participant characteristics. A total of 63 sedentary female college students from the University of Delhi were randomly selected for this study. A standardized Health Questionnaire (HQ), covering seven key components was administered twice with a two-day interval to assess test-retest reliability. After expert validation, 39 variables were analysed. Reliability was evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and consistency of responses was further examined through a paired t-test. In the study one variable demonstrated strong reliability (r > 0.70), and 38 variables showed acceptable reliability (0.40 < r < 0.80) with an overall mean reliability coefficient of 0.47. Paired t-test results indicated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in 10 variables. The remaining 29 variables did not exhibit significant differences between trials. It is concluded that the Health Questionnaire (HQ) exhibits strong test-retest reliability among sedentary female students, confirming its effectiveness in assessing health-related parameters. Minor inconsistencies observed in certain variables suggest the need for refinement to enhance clarity and accuracy. With further validation, the HQ can serve as a reliable tool for future research and practical health assessments.
Downloads
References
Biddle, S. J. H., Pearson, N., Ross, G. M., & Braithwaite, R., Tracking of sedentary behaviours of young people: A systematic review, Preventive Medicine, 2019, 99, 41–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.07.018
Craig, C. L., Marshall, A. L., Sjöström, M., Bauman, A. E., Booth, M. L., Ainsworth, B. E., et al., International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2003, 35(8), 1381–1395. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000078924.61453.fb
Fogelholm, M., Malmberg, J., Suni, J., Santtila, M., Kyröläinen, H., Mäntysaari, M., & Oja, P., International physical activity questionnaire: Validity against fitness, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2006, 38(5), 753–760. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000194075.16960.20
Bland, J. M., & Altman, D. G., Statistics notes: Cronbach’s alpha, BMJ, 1997, 314(7080), 572. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.314.7080.572
Koo, T. K., & Li, M. Y., A guideline for selecting and reporting intraclass correlation coefficients for reliability research, Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 2016, 15(2), 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2016.02.012
Terwee, C. B., Bot, S. D. M., de Boer, M. R., van der Windt, D. A. W. M., Knol, D. L., Dekker, J., et al., Quality criteria were proposed for measurement properties of health status questionnaires, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2007, 60(1), 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.03.014
Bull, F. C., Al-Ansari, S. S., Biddle, S., Borodulin, K., Buman, M. P., Cardon, G., et al., World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020, 54(24), 1451–1462. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
Tremblay, M. S., LeBlanc, A. G., Kho, M. E., Saunders, T. J., Larouche, R., Colley, R. C., et al., Systematic review of sedentary behaviour and health indicators in school-aged children and youth, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2011, 8, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-98
Hallal, P. C., Victora, C. G., Azevedo, M. R., & Wells, J. C. K., Adolescent physical activity and health, Sports Medicine, 2006, 36(12), 1019–1030. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636120-00003
Helmerhorst, H. H. J., Brage, S., Warren, J., Besson, H., & Ekelund, U., A systematic review of reliability and objective criterion-related validity of physical activity questionnaires, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2012, 9, 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-103
Prince, S. A., Adamo, K. B., Hamel, M. E., Hardt, J., Gorber, S. C., & Tremblay, M., A comparison of direct versus self-report measures for assessing physical activity in adults: A systematic review, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2008, 5(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-5-56
Singh, T., Reliability in student assessment: Implications for competency-based curriculum, Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU, 2024, 17(2), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.4103/kleuhsj.kleuhsj_15_24
Streiner, D. L., Starting at the beginning: An introduction to coefficient alpha and internal consistency, Journal of Personality Assessment, 2003, 80(1), 99–103. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA8001_18
Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R., Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha, International Journal of Medical Education, 2011, 2, 53–55. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfd
Polit, D. F., Getting serious about test–retest reliability: A critique of retest research and some recommendations, Quality of Life Research, 2014, 23(6), 1713–1720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0632-9
Janssen, I., & LeBlanc, A. G., Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2010, 7(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-7-40
Helou, K., El Helou, N., Mahfouz, M., Mahfouz, Y., Salameh, P., & Harmouche-Karaki, M., Validity and reliability of an adapted Arabic version of the long international physical activity questionnaire, BMC Public Health, 2017, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4599-7
Kaur, M., Husain, R., & Shaw, D., Reliability of health questionnaire for females involved in individual sports, International Journal of Research – Granthaalayah, 2022, 10(7), 70–79. https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v10.i7.2022.4699
Paffenbarger, R. S., Hyde, R., Wing, A. L., & Hsieh, C., Physical activity, all-cause mortality, and longevity of college alumni, New England Journal of Medicine, 1986, 314(10), 605–613. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm198603063141003
Brosnan, K., Grün, B., & Dolnicar, S., Cognitive load reduction strategies in questionnaire design, International Journal of Market Research, 2021, 63(2), 125–133. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470785320986797
Lenzner, T., Kaczmirek, L., & Lenzner, A., Cognitive burden of survey questions and response times: A psycholinguistic experiment, Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2009, 24(7), 1003–1020. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1602
Ware Jr, J. E., & Sherbourne, C. D., The MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36): I. Conceptual framework and item selection, Medical Care, 1992, 30(6), 473–483.
Sallis, J. F., & Saelens, B. E., Assessment of physical activity by self-report: Status, limitations, and future directions, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2000, 71(2_suppl), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2000.11082780
Hallal, P. C., Andersen, L. B., Bull, F. C., Guthold, R., Haskell, W., & Ekelund, U., Global physical activity levels: Surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects, The Lancet, 2012, 380(9838), 247–257.
Carmines, E. G., & Zeller, R. A., Reliability and Validity Assessment, Sage Publications, 1979.
van de Mortel, T. F., Faking it: Social desirability response bias in self-report research, The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2008, 25(4), 40–48. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.210155003844269
Lenzner, T., Kaczmirek, L., & Lenzner, A., Cognitive burden of survey questions and response times: A psycholinguistic experiment, Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2009, 24(7), 1003–1020. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1602
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
