Reliability of the healthy lifestyles questionnaire (CEVS) in university students

Confiabilidad del cuestionario de estilos de vida saludable (CEVS) en estudiantes universitarios

Abstract

Introduction. Current population lifestyles have become a global concern, as they have been associated, first, with the onset of chronic diseases and, second, with the complexity of their identification. This complexity arises because factors such as living conditions, behavioral patterns, sociocultural context, and interpersonal interactions directly and indirectly influence the determination of lifestyles. Objective. To determine the reliability of the University Students’ Lifestyle Questionnaire (CEVS) in a university population in Colombia. Materials and Methods. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted, in which the CEVS questionnaire was administered to 894 students. Cronbach’s alpha was used as an estimator of internal consistency and reliability in the process of instrument adaptation and validation. Results. For the 34 items, Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81. Across the four dimensions, values were greater than 0.79, demonstrating good internal consistency. Additionally, strong correlations were observed among the dimensions. Conclusions. Compared with other evaluated questionnaires, the CEVS showed higher internal consistency, evidenced by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.81 for the total sample. These findings support the value and relevance of the CEVS as a useful tool for generating concrete actions in health promotion and disease prevention among the Colombian university population.