“Would You Rather Jump Out of a Perfectly Good Airplane or Develop Cardiovascular Disease?” Validity and Reliability of the Cardiovascular Risk Perception Survey Among Military Personnel

Abstract

Background and Purpose Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death in the United States. The military are viewed as fit, ready to fight and that jumping out of perfectly good airplane or going to war is a greater risk than CVD. The purpose of this study was to determine reliability and validity of the Cardiovascular Risk Perception Survey (CRPS). Methods A cross-sectional descriptive design was performed, supported by the Health Belief Model. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach s alpha) and validity (principal component analysis) were examined. Results Fifty-five participants were included in this study. Construct validity of the CRPS was supported by principal component analysis; indicating one scale that measured cardiovascular risk perception. The Cronbach s alpha is reported .865. Conclusion Initial psychometric testing of the CRPS provides evidence for construct validity and internal consistency reliability.