Uncovering Lifestyle Factors Behind COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that people's behaviors and surroundings play a big role in getting infected and how severe the disease gets. Researchers knew they had to learn more about these factors to improve public health. They created a questionnaire called the Cuban population environmental and lifestyle factors Questionnaire, or CELF-Q, to study how environmental and lifestyle factors affect COVID-19 outcomes in Cuba.

This new tool was based on a lifestyle questionnaire already used in Latin America. The researchers changed it to fit the Cuban population, making sure it was culturally suitable. They reviewed it carefully, asked experts for feedback, and tested it with people who had COVID-19.

A panel of 15 experts checked the questionnaire for content validity. They found it mostly acceptable but suggested some changes. The researchers also tested the questionnaire with 60 participants to see if it gave consistent results, and with 309 people who had COVID-19 to check its internal consistency.

The results showed that the questionnaire was reliable and valid. It can help researchers understand how lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to COVID-19 outcomes in Cuba. This information can be used to create better public health strategies.

Understanding these factors can help people make informed choices to protect themselves and their communities. The CELF-Q can be a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. It can help identify areas where people need more support or education, and guide the development of targeted interventions.