Measuring Development of Self-Help Organizations for Patients with Chronic Health Conditions in Hong Kong: Development and Validation of the Self-Help Organization Development Scale (SHODS)

Steven Sek-yum Ngai, Shan Jiang, Chau-kiu Cheung, Hon-yin Tang, Hiu-lam Ngai and Yuen-hang Ng
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Steven Sek-yum Ngai: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Shan Jiang: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Chau-kiu Cheung: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Hon-yin Tang: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Hiu-lam Ngai: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Yuen-hang Ng: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Self-help organizations (SHOs) enable patients with chronic health conditions (PCHCs) to overcome common difficulties through the exchange of knowledge and mutual assistance, which serves as the basis for promoting the self-reliance and well-being of PCHCs. Nevertheless, practical challenges persist because little is known about what and how to evaluate for the developmental outcomes of SHOs. To address this knowledge gap, the present study seeks to develop and validate the Self-Help Organization Development Scale (SHODS). A total of 232 core members from 54 SHOs in Hong Kong participated in our study. The SHODS structure was validated by confirmatory factor analysis. This analysis derived five factors: citizen support, business support, member recovery and mutual aid, organizational health, and functional sustainability. The five-factor structure demonstrated stability across various types of SHOs, as validated by the subgroup analysis based on two criteria: duration of SHO establishment and organization affiliation. Good concurrent validity was supported by significant correlations between the SHODS factors and organizational variables, including staff supervision, staff understanding, networking, advocating, and educating the public and patients. The SHODS also showed excellent internal consistency. In conclusion, the SHODS is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring the developmental outcomes of SHOs.

Keywords: self-help organization; assessment of organizational development; psychometric properties; confirmatory factor analysis; measurement tool (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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