Abstract

BACKGROUND Healthy lifestyle is a significant factor in cancer etiologic and prevention of cancer. There are instruments to measure a healthy life style, but the lifestyle questionnaires only examine one or a few more aspects of lifestyle. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to construct a comprehensive instrument to examine all aspects of lifestyle related to cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Yazd city in Iran. A questionnaire was designed to assess and measure various aspects of lifestyle related to cancer using similar studies. Researchers used the Cronbach's alpha and test-retest method to determine the reliability. Also, construct validity was determined using the factor analysis method in SPSS 16 software. RESULTS Face validity was examined using a panel of experts. Cronbach's alpha for the whole scale was appropriate (α = 0.87). Also, Cronbach's alpha for all dimensions of questionnaire was acceptable (perfect score). Test-retest method was used to determine the reliability. The results indicated that ICC was in the range of 0.84 to 0.94. Based on the obtained results of factor analysis method, 8 dimensions of the questionnaire were extracted (physical health, physical activity and exercise, mental health, drug and alcohol avoidance, balanced consumption of food, environmental pollutants and harmful substances, weight control and nutrition, and reproductive health). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the present questionnaire can be used as a valid and reliable tool for collecting data about the lifestyle of people related to cancer.