Factors Associated with the Quality of Life of Hospital Pharmacists during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Survey Validation

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global health system, with different repercussions on the mental health of health professionals. This study introduces the process of developing and validating a survey to assess factors associated with the quality of life of hospital pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study involving the phases of survey development and internal validation, performed by expert pharmacists who rated the proposed items for relevance and clarity. The assessment was conducted in February and March 2022. Results: Responses were evaluated by the Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI Desirable outcome ≥ 0.78) and the scale-level Content Validity Index (total CVI; Desirable outcome ≥ 0.9). The survey was designed with 23 questions and presented three sections: 1-Socio-demographic profile; 2-Work characteristics; and 3-Perceptions related to COVID-19, with the objective of composing a final instrument in which Section 4-Instrument for assessing Professional Quality of Life will be added. The CVI analyses of all items proved to be acceptable (I-CVI > 0.78, total CVI-clarity = 0.97, total CVI-relevance = 0.99). Thirty suggestions were received, and 16 questions had some wording and/or options changes. Conclusion: The survey showed desirable content validation results and was considered 'valid' for investigating factors associated with the quality of life of pharmacists in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.