Adaptation and validation into Portuguese language of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale

Objective. To culturally adapt and validate a version in European Portuguese language of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale. Methods. Study conducting a methodological investigation for the adaptation and validation of an attitude measurement instrument. The instrument translation and back-translation were performed. Then, a pre-test was conducted. The study used a sample of 317 subjects from the academic community - students, professors and other professionals - who were contacted in the campus. Ethical principles were observed. Results. Three analyses were conducted using the method of principal component analysis (PCA) with five, four and three factors. A three-factor solution was achieved, which presents 50.82% variance. In the analysis of inter-item correlation, values between -0.018 and 0.749 were observed. Internal consistency shows Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.860 overall and between 0.865 and 0.659 in the three factors. Conclusion. The instrument version shows psychometric properties that allow its use in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Otter (Lutra lutra) distribution modeling at two resolution scales suited to conservation planning in the Iberian Peninsula

We used the results of the Spanish Otter Survey of 1994–1996, a Geographic Information System and stepwise multiple logistic regression to model otter presence/absence data in the continental Spanish UTM 10 10-km squares. Geographic situation, indicators of human activity such as highways and major urban centers, and environmental variables related with productivity, water availability, altitude, and environmental energy were included in a logistic model that correctly classified about 73% of otter presences and absences. We extrapolated the model to the adjacent territory of Portugal, and increased the model’s spatial resolution by extrapolating it to 1 1-km squares in the whole Iberian Peninsula. The model turned out to be rather flexible, predicting, for instance, the species to be very restricted to the courses of rivers in some areas, and more widespread in others. This allowed us to determine areas where otter populations may be more vulnerable to habitat changes or harmful human interventions. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptation and validation of HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale in Portuguese

Introduction; The awareness of HIV positiveness is important for health of the individual and of the comunity. The identicatio of HIV antibodies is possible both using conventional lab tests and quick result tests. In the bibliography it was made clear that there are no instruments in Portuguese to assert the reactions to the HIV quick tests and it was therefore considered it would be useful to adapt and validate a scale in Portuguese, since the language is the official language of 7 different countries and spoken by more than 250 milion people, Objectives: the purpose is to validate a version in European Portuguese of the HIV Antibody Testing Attitude Scale. Methods: the study refers to methodological research for the adaptation and validation of an instrument of attitude measurement. A translation and back-translation was prepared and a trial test was then carried out. A total of 317 students, lectures and co-workers of a Portuguese University was interviewes. Ethical principles were taken into consideration. the pool was obtained in the seven components of the University campus. Results: 3 trials of factorial testing of the main components of 5, 4 and 3 factors. It ended up a solution of 3 factors that explains 50.82% of the variability. In the analysis of the inter-items correlation values of between 0.018 and 0.749 were observed. The internal consistency reveals an alpha Cronbach coefficient of 0.860 as a whole, and in between 0,865 and 0.659 in the 3 factors. Conclusions: this version of the instrument shows that the psychometric properties allow its use in the Portuguese speaking countries.