Construct Validity of the Two Safety Culture Questionnaires

Objective: The aim of the study was to validate the construct of two culture assessment instruments adapted and validated for the Portuguese language, the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) and the Hospital on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). Material and Methods: Cross-sectional, exploratory-descriptive study with quantitative approach. The two instruments were applied at the same time to all professionals working in intensive care units that met the inclusion criteria: working at least 20 hours per week and at least one month in the sector. Results: 170 questionnaires were distributed and 127 were considered valid for the research. The professionals that participated in the study, 60 (75%) were female, most had between 1 and 5 years of time in unit 40 (50%), with institution 39 (49%) and workload between 20 and 39 hours per week 32 (40%). Still, 69 (86.3%) reported having direct contact with the patient. Regarding the validation results, we observed positive and statistically significant correlations between SAQ domains with four HSOPSC domains. In the regression analysis, all domains of the SAQ, except for Stress Perception, explained all the variables resulting from HSOPSC. Conclusion: Based on this study it was concluded that both instruments are valid and reliable for the evaluation of safety culture. However, it is worth emphasizing that the two instruments present factors that facilitate and hinder the application of the same.