Social capital in ELSA-Brasil: test-retest reliability of the Resource Generator scale

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the test-retest reliability of items of the Resource Generator scale for assessing social capital in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study for Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: The social capital was applied in a subsample of 281 participants from six ELSA investigation centers, on two occasions with an interval of seven to 14 days. The instrument consists of 31 items that represent concrete situations to evaluate the access to different types of resources. In addition, it evaluates the strength of ties (family, friends or acquaintances) for the available resources. Statistical analyses were performed through use of the kappa statistic (k) and prevalence-adjusted kappa (ka). RESULTS: A high frequency was found for social resources (above 50%). Regarding the presence or absence of resources, prevalence-adjusted reliability (ka) varied from 0.54 to 0.97. With regard to the source for the resource, the reliability estimates ranged from ka = 0.45 ("someone who has good contacts with the media") to ka = 0.86 ("someone who completed secondary education"). CONCLUSIONS: The scale presentedadequate levels of reliability, which varied according to the type of resource.