Development and validation of medical tourists attracting factors scale (MTAF-46)

ABSTRACT

Background

In order to identify the medical tourists attracting factors (MTAF), a standard, comprehensive, and efficient scale is required to further develop this income generating and competitive industry.

Aim/Objective

The present study aims to develop and validate MTAF scale.

Methodology

This qualitative and scale development study was conducted in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute. The first step involved extracting key variables and applying the Delphi method. In the second and third steps, the face and content validity (CVR and CVI) were examined. In the fourth step, construct validity was investigated. In the last step, internal reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and external reliability was calculated using test-retest method. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software.

Results

The psychometric scale showed that final version of the scale consisted of 46 questions in 10 dimensions. The total Cronbach's alpha value was 0.817 and more than 0.70 for each dimension. The overall CVI had an acceptable value of 0.85. The results of CFA showed that the latent construct model had a good fit (Fit indices: X 2/DF = 4.405; RMSEA = 0.039; CFI = 0.918; IFI = 0.919; TLI = 0.911).

Conclusions

Validation of the designed scale was confirmed.

KEYWORDS:

• Medical tourism
• Delphi method
• reliability
• validity
• Cronbach alpha
• content validity ratio and content validity index

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the people who participated in this study. This study was part of the first author's master's thesis dissertation, which was registered with the ethical code IR.SSU.SPH.REC.1399.170 at Yazd University of Medical Sciences. Milad Shafii, Ph.D.: Conceptualization, investigation, methodology, project administration, writing the original draft, review and editing; Roohollah Askari, Ph.D.: Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis validation, writing the original draft, review and editing; Farzan Madadizadeh, Ph.D.: Methodology, formal analysis, validation, writing the original draft, review and editing; Sajjad Bahariniya, Masters: Methodology, Data collection, formal analysis, writing the original draft, review and editing; Mohammad Zarezadeh, Ph.D.: writing the original draft, review and editing; Ali Mohamad Abdoli, General physician: writing the original draft, review and editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Milad Shafii

Milad Shafii (Ph.D.) is Associate Professor of HealthcareServices Management in School of Public Health in Shahid SadoughiUniversity of Medical Sciences. His Fields of Interest is Humanresource, Health administration, Organizational behavior and medicaltourism.

Roohollah Askari

Roohollah Askari (Ph.D.) is Associate Professor of HealthcareServices Management in School of Public Health in Shahid SadoughiUniversity of Medical Sciences. His Fields of Interest is Healthsystem management, Health system assessment and Health systemplanning.

Farzan Madadizadeh

Farzan Madadizadeh (Ph.D.) is Assistant Professor ofBiostatistics Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in theSchool of Public Health in Shahid Sadoughi University of MedicalSciences. His Fields of Interest is Medical statistics, graphicalmodels, methodology.

Mohammad Zarezadeh

Mohammad Zarezadeh (Ph.D.) is Assistant Professor ofHealthcare Services Management in School of Public Health in ShahidSadoughi University of Medical Sciences. He is the manager of ShahidSadoughi Hospital. His Fields of Interest is Strategic planning,Foresighting and Health tourism.

Ali Mohamad Abdoli

Ali Mohamad Abdoli (General physician) is manager of Researchand Clinical Center for Infertility and manager of Yazd ReproductiveSciences Institute in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences.

Sajjad Bahariniya

Sajjad Bahariniya is MSc student of Health Services Managementin School of Public Health in Shahid Sadoughi University of MedicalSciences. He is a top university researcher and an exemplary studentof the country.