The development and validation of a questionnaire to assess female athletes’ and coaches’ knowledge about hormonal contraception
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction In this study, a hormonal contraception knowledge questionnaire (HCKQ) for female athletes and coaches was developed and validated. Methods An initial 17-item questionnaire (Pre-HCKQ), including items adapted from existing tools and newly generated items, was piloted with 325 recreational female athletes and 46 coaches. The analysis of item difficulty index and item-total correlation resulted in a 10-item HCKQ, which included questions about the safety of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use, function and effects of different HCs, risk factors and side effects of HC use, and the fertile window in the menstrual cycle. Eighteen experts evaluated the HCKQ for relevance ( M = 5.5, SD = 0.8) and clarity ( M = 5.5, SD = 0.9) using a 6-point Likert scale. Results The HCKQ was subsequently administered to 562 elite female athletes and 170 coaches. The mean difficulty index was 46%, and the mean item-total correlation was r = .29. A significant difference in knowledge scores was found between female athletes, female coaches, and male coaches, as well as between HC users and non-users. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .61, McDonald's ω = .62, Guttman's λ ₂ = .63) and test-retest in a separate, mixed-sex cohort of 64 sport science students (Spearman's ρ = .75; ICC(2,1) = .74). Discussion The HCKQ provides a brief tool for assessing HC-related knowledge in sports contexts, with initial evidence supporting its content validity, known-groups validity, and reliability. Future research may use the HCKQ to evaluate the effectiveness of female health education programs in sport.
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
Funder: Universität Leipzig
OpenAlex ID: W7223317992