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1- Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. & Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ,zghomian@gmail.com
3- Department of Health in Education & Health Promotion, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Management Sciences and Health Economics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
2- Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. & Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ,
3- Department of Health in Education & Health Promotion, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Management Sciences and Health Economics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract: (6 Views)
Background: Mass gatherings, such as the Arbaeen Pilgrims Walking, pose unique public health challenges requiring comprehensive preparedness strategies. Despite the existence of several tools, there is no validated and context-specific instrument to assess health system preparedness in such events.
Objective: This research aims to design and psychometrically validate the Health System Preparedness Assessment Tool for Mass Gatherings.
Methods: A sequential mixed-methods study was conducted in three phases. First, a scoping review of international and national documents was performed using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, resulting in the extraction of 324 unique preparedness-related items. In the second phase, qualitative expert consultations conducted through focus group discussions refined these items into four main domains and 11 subdomains. In the third phase, psychometric evaluation, including face, content, and construct validity, as well as reliability testing, was performed on data from 260 healthcare and emergency professionals.
Results: The final HPAT consisted of 148 items across four domains: Health, Medical Care and Treatment, Management and Logistics, and Coordination and Safety. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the four-domain structure (KMO = 0.892; Bartlett’s test p < 0.001). Content validity was excellent (mean CVI = 0.98), and internal consistency was also high (Cronbach’s α = 0.96). The tool demonstrated substantial inter-rater reliability (Kappa = 0.76).
Conclusion: The validated HPAT provides a reliable, comprehensive, and context-specific instrument for evaluating health system preparedness for mass gatherings. Its application can guide policy and practice by identifying gaps, strengthening intersectoral coordination, and enhancing public health readiness for large-scale events.
Objective: This research aims to design and psychometrically validate the Health System Preparedness Assessment Tool for Mass Gatherings.
Methods: A sequential mixed-methods study was conducted in three phases. First, a scoping review of international and national documents was performed using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, resulting in the extraction of 324 unique preparedness-related items. In the second phase, qualitative expert consultations conducted through focus group discussions refined these items into four main domains and 11 subdomains. In the third phase, psychometric evaluation, including face, content, and construct validity, as well as reliability testing, was performed on data from 260 healthcare and emergency professionals.
Results: The final HPAT consisted of 148 items across four domains: Health, Medical Care and Treatment, Management and Logistics, and Coordination and Safety. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the four-domain structure (KMO = 0.892; Bartlett’s test p < 0.001). Content validity was excellent (mean CVI = 0.98), and internal consistency was also high (Cronbach’s α = 0.96). The tool demonstrated substantial inter-rater reliability (Kappa = 0.76).
Conclusion: The validated HPAT provides a reliable, comprehensive, and context-specific instrument for evaluating health system preparedness for mass gatherings. Its application can guide policy and practice by identifying gaps, strengthening intersectoral coordination, and enhancing public health readiness for large-scale events.
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This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-By-NC), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
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