Development of a scale to assess physical inactivity among housewives

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of physical inactivity among housewives is high, yet little research has assessed their usual physical activity. OBJECTIVES: To develop a scale to assess the risk of physical inactivity and strength of association with clinical correlates of the Chinese short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) among housewives. METHOD: A telephone survey was conducted using nation-wide samples of housewives aged 25 and older. Data were collected using computer-assisted telephone interview systems, with stratified random sampling according to geographic areas. This survey (N=1,068) was conducted from January 20 to 24, 2009. The Chinese short version of the IPAQ was employed to measure the level of physical activity. RESULTS: Three cut point scores on the new scale (5, 10, and 16) were selected to distinguish the different levels of physical activity, with higher scores denoting a lower level of physical activity. Content validity was assessed by expert consultation during the scale development process. The new scale was highly correlated with the IPAQ and had moderate reliability (alpha = .616). Housewives with a score of 17 or greater were deemed at greater risk of sedentary lifestyle. CONCLUSION: This newly developed scale is reliable in measuring likelihood of physical inactivity among housewives. The new questionnaire is advantageous because it has fewer questions than the IPAQ, and is easily administered and scored.