The comprehensive Breast Cancer Knowledge Test: validity and reliability

Abstract

Two subscales for a breast cancer knowledge test were developed and tested to be used (a) in determining a woman's general knowledge of breast cancer (i.e. risk factors and epidemiology) and her knowledge of breast cancer curability, and (b) in exploring the relationship between knowledge of breast cancer and utilization of screening practices. These subscales were designed to be used in conjunction with the Breast Cancer Knowledge Test (BCKT), which assesses screening and detection knowledge. The instrument was submitted to four experts in the field of oncology to establish content validity. Reliability testing was conducted on a random sample of 182 women. Internal consistency reliability for the post-tested general knowledge subscale was 0.60, and for the curability subscale was 0.62. The overall alpha coefficient was 0.71. In combination with the BCKT, these subscales can be used to describe a woman's knowledge of breast cancer.