Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Climate Awareness Scale for Women's Health

This study addresses the profound impact of climate change on women's health, emphasizing its role in exacerbating gender-based health inequalities. Women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to physiological and sociocultural factors, experiencing heightened risks related to reproductive health, pregnancy complications, and overall well-being. Recognizing the critical need to measure awareness of these risks, this study aims to develop and evaluate the Climate Awareness Scale for Women's Health (CASWH). Methods: A methodological research design was employed to develop and validate the CASWH. The process involved two phases: Conceptual Framework Development: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the theoretical and empirical foundations for the scale. An initial pool of 24 items was generated, focusing on the impacts of climate change on women's reproductive health, fertility, and overall health. Expert feedback using the Lawshe technique refined the item pool to ensure content validity. Psychometric Evaluation: Data were collected from 607 women across Turkey (305 for exploratory factor analysis [EFA] and 302 for confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]). EFA identified a two-factor structure: "Women's Health and Environmental Exposure" and "Reproductive Health and Hormonal Balance," explaining 68.9% of the variance. CFA confirmed the model fit with indices meeting recommended thresholds (e.g., RMSEA = .075, CFI = .97). Reliability analyses demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .94 for the overall scale). Results: The CASWH exhibited strong psychometric properties: Validity: Content validity was confirmed (CVI = 0.91), and construct validity was established through EFA and CFA. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported by AVE and CR values exceeding the recommended thresholds. Reliability: Cronbach’s α coefficients for subdimensions ranged from .86 to .92, and split-half reliability analysis further supported scale stability. Conclusion: The Climate Awareness Scale for Women's Health is a valid and reliable tool for assessing awareness of climate change's effects on women's health within the Turkish cultural context. This scale can inform strategies to enhance women's resilience to climate-related health risks and guide policies addressing gender-specific impacts of climate change. Future research should explore its applicability in different cultural settings.