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. 2021 Jul 2.
doi: 10.1016/j.rcp.2021.06.003. Online ahead of print.

[GAD-7 Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale in Colombian medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: construct validity and reliability]

[Article in Spanish]
Loida Camargo  1   2 , Jorge Herrera-Pino  3 , Salomon Shelach  4 , Marcio Soto-Añari  4 , Maria F Porto  5 , Monica Alonso  1 , Miguel González  6 , Oscar Contreras  7 , Nicole Caldichoury  8 , Miguel Ramos-Henderson  9 , Pascual Gargiulo  10   11 , Norman López  5
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Free PMC article

[GAD-7 Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale in Colombian medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: construct validity and reliability]

[Article in Spanish]
Loida Camargo et al. Rev Colomb Psiquiatr (Engl Ed). .
Free PMC article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: The detection of anxiety symptoms among health workers who care for patients infected with COVID-19 is a current priority. Fast and valid instruments are required for this population group. The objective is to establish the construct validity and reliability of the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale in Colombian doctors during the COVID-19 lockdown.Methods: E-health study, in which cross-sectional data were collected online (n=1,030) from 610 COVID doctors and 420 non-COVID doctors, during the Colombian lockdown, between 20 April and 10 August 2020. Each subject was contacted, and they confirmed their participation, identity and professional role.Results: A single factor factorial structure was found, made up of the 7 items of the instrument, which managed to explain 70% of the variance. The goodness of fit indices (RMSEA = 0.080; CFI = 0.995; SRMR = 0.053; p <0.001) showed an "acceptable" unidimensionality and adequate factor loadings in each item of the GAD-7, >0.070. Finally, the internal consistency of the instrument was good, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.920 (95%IC, 8.80-9.71).Conclusions: The GAD-7 is an instrument that presents adequate indicators of validity and reliability. It is an excellent tool that is reliable and easy and fast to use for the detection of generalised anxiety symptoms in medical personnel caring (or not) for patients infected with COVID-19.

Introducción: La detección de síntomas de ansiedad entre el personal sanitario que atiende a pacientes contagiados de COVID-19 es una prioridad actual. Se requieren instrumentos rápidos y válidos para esta población. El objetivo es establecer la validez de constructo y la confiabilidad de la Escala de Ansiedad Generalizada (GAD-7) en médicos colombianos durante la cuarentena por la COVID-19.

Métodos: Estudio eSalud, en el que se recopilaron datos transversales en línea (n = 1.030) de 610 médicos de COVID y 420 no de COVID durante la cuarentena colombiana, entre el 20 de abril y el 10 de agosto de 2020. Se contactó con cada sujeto, que confirmó participación, identidad y función profesional.

Resultados: Se encontró una estructura factorial de 1 solo factor, conformado por los 7 ítems del instrumento, que logró explicar el 70% de la varianza. Los índices de bondad de ajuste (RMSEA = 0,080; CFI = 0,995; SRMR = 0,053; p < 0,001) mostraron una unidimensionalidad «aceptable» y adecuadas cargas factoriales en cada ítem del GAD-7, > 0,07. Por último, la consistencia interna del instrumento fue buena, con alfa de Cronbach = 0,920 (IC95%, 8,80-9,71).

Conclusiones: El GAD-7 es un instrumento que presenta indicadores adecuados de validez y confiabilidad. Es un excelente instrumento, confiable, fácil y rápido de usar para la detección de los síntomas de ansiedad generalizada en personal médico, atienda o no a pacientes contagiados de COVID-19.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; GAD-7; Health workers; Psychometrics.

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Figures

Figura 1
Figura 1
Estructura unidimensional de la escala GAD-7 (RMSEA = 0,080; CFI = 0,995; SRMR = 0,053; p < 0,001).
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