Factor Structure of the Telugu Version of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10-C) Administered on Grassroots Frontline Health Care Workers of Rural Telangana.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived stress is an important determinant of mental health problems, especially in health care workers (HCW). By and large, regional language tools to assess perceived stress in the context of the pandemic have not been validated in India. We aim to explore the factor structure of the Telugu translated version of the COVID-19 pandemic-related Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10-C) administered on grassroots frontline HCW of rural Telangana, India. Methods: Data relating to 311 grassroots frontline HCW consisting of accredited social health activists (ASHA), multipurpose health workers (MPHW), and auxiliary nurse and midwives (ANMs) working in rural primary health centers (PHC) in five districts of Telangana were analyzed. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify latent factors. Convergent validity was assessed by computing Pearson product-moment correlations between the scores of PSS-10-C and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales. Results: The principal component analysis showed that the 10 items of the scale were significantly loaded by two latent factors with eigen values of 2.792 and 2.009, respectively. Factor solution showed that six and four items correlated with each of the two factors, respectively. Significant correlations between PSS-10-C, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores showed convergent validity. The two factors may represent substantive factors "perceived self-efficacy" and "perceived helplessness." There may be an influence of the reverse-coded method on the factor solution. Conclusion: The Telugu translated version of PSS-10-C holds fair-to-good psychometric properties.

Factor Structure of the Telugu Version of the Insomnia Severity Index Administered to Primary Care Health Workers of Rural Telangana During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: Prevalence of insomnia has been high during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, especially in health care workers. The 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is the most commonly used tool to assess insomnia severity and its impact. The ISI has not been translated and validated for use among Telugu-speaking health care workers. The objective of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Telugu-translated version of the ISI, administered among primary care health workers in rural Telangana, India.Methods: The Telugu version of the ISI was administered to 315 grass-root primary care health workers in rural primary health centers of 5 districts of Telangana. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to measure the factor structure of the translated version of the ISI. Data were collected in August 2021.Results: The principal component analysis showed that the 7 items of the scale significantly loaded on to 1 latent factor with an eigenvalue of 4.036, explaining 57.66% of the total variance. The factor reliability (Cronbach α) was 0.876.Conclusions: The results show that the Telugu translated version of the ISI conforms to previously found factor solutions and is valid to assess insomnia severity in primary care health workers.