Multidimensional health locus of control scales: applicability among Ghanaian adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Primary preventive approaches are likely to be more effective if the motivational factors of health behaviours are known. Beliefs about control over health outcomes are among the most important motivational factors, commonly assessed with the multidimensional health locus of control scale (MHLC).

OBJECTIVES

To examine the validity, reliability and cross-cultural correspondence of the MHLC scales among Ghanaian adolescents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

SETTING

Secondary schools in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district of Ghana, 1998.

SUBJECTS

The analysis is based on 504 secondary school children constituting a response rate of 86%.

INTERVENTION

Non-intervention study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The MHLC score comprising beliefs in own control over health, beliefs in provider control over health and beliefs in chance health outcomes.

RESULTS

Fifty per cent urban and 48% rural pupils recorded health as an important issue. More than 90% of the participants were correctly informed regarding oral health consequences of tooth cleaning, tobacco smoking and sugar consumption. Exploratory factor analysis gave two sub-factors of the MHLC corresponding to internal and provider control over health and having internal consistency reliability of 0.72 and 0.76, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results lend support to the cultural correspondence of the MHLC instrument, several aspects of its validity and internal consistency reliability.