Development And Psychometric Validation of Questionnaire to Assess Medovaha Srotas Dushti

Abstract

Medovaha Srotas is well known in Ayurvedic Literature for not just being a pathway through which meda dhatu (adipose tissue) gets transported and metabolized, but it also has significant role in the pathogenesis of obesity. When the vitiation takes place in these srotas that is Medovaha Srotas Dushti it indicates the pathogenesis of everything related to metabolism i.e., from obesity (sthoulya) to diabetes mellitus (Madhumeha) and dyslipidemia (Medoroga). Currently, Ayurvedic parameters are not standardized to diagnose Medovaha Srotas Dushti. A classical Ayurvedic questionnaire will be an important addition to routine clinical practice, as well as in research.

Objective: This study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire on Medovaha Srotas Dushti which is based on symptoms of Medovaha Srotas Dushti mentioned in Charaka Viman Sthan and Nidan Sthana.

 Materials and Methods: This is a study, which includes– 1) Item generation: Extraction of items through classical texts and expert consensus, 2) Pretesting: Pretesting was conducted on 30 patients for confirming comprehensibility, clarity, and ease of language. 3) Face Validity: Face Validity Ratio was calculated for each item. 4) Content validity testing: undertaken by panel of Ayurvedic experts using Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale Validity Index (S-CVI). 5) Pilot Testing: The final questionnaire was then administered in 100 individuals. 6) Reliability Testing: Reliability of questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha. 7) Construct Validity: This was then confirmed through Exploratory Factor Analysis. Questionnaire was of binary score format, recording symptom presence.

Results: The final questionnaire comprised 13 items. The CVI values of all items were acceptable (>0.62). The internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81), and hence the study pointed to strong reliability. Conclusion: The developed assessment tool for Madhovaah srotas dushti is valid and reliable. It may be deployed for diagnostic reinforcement, prakriti-vikriti mapping and further research in Ayurvedic preventive and lifestyle medicine.