Psychometric properties of the Malay-translated General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire among shipyard workers

ABSTRACT

Background: The General Practice Physical ActivityQuestionnaire (GPPAQ) is a validated and reliable screeningtool to measure the level of physical activity in adults.However, it has never been translated and validated inMalaysian population. This study aimed to translate theGPPAQ into Malay language and to evaluate thepsychometric properties of the Malay-translated GPPAQamong shipyard workers.Methods: The original English version of GPPAQ wastranslated forward and backward into Malay version byexperts. The final version of the Malay-translated GPPAQwas then tested for validity and reliability. A cross-sectionalstudy design was performed and systematic randomsampling was used to select respondents. Construct validityand internal consistency of the Malay-translated versionwere tested using exploratory factor analysis andCronbach’s alpha respectively.Results: Sixty-two male shipyard workers participated inthis study. The GPPAQ showed good factor loading valuesfor all items (0.608-0.834). The exploratory principalcomponent factor analysis delineates all seven items intotwo factors with variance of 41.65%. The Cronbach’s alphavalue was good with 0.81, 0.84 and 0.76 for total scale, factor1 and factor 2 respectively.Conclusion: The Malay-translated version of GPPAQ hashigh psychometric properties. Therefore, it is a validinstrument to assess physical activity among Malaysianworking population, particularly in male shipyard workers.