
Background The World Wide Web has become an essential source of health information. Nevertheless, the amount and quality of information provided may lead to information overload. Therefore, people need certain skills to search for, identify, and evaluate information from the internet. In the context of health information, these competencies are summarized as the construct of eHealth literacy. Previous research has highlighted the relevance of eHealth literacy in terms of health-related outcomes. However, the existing instrument assessing eHealth literacy in the German language reveals methodological limitations regarding test development and validation. The development and validation of a revised scale for this important construct is highly relevant. Objective The objective of this study was the development and validation of a revised German eHealth literacy scale. In particular, this study aimed to focus on high methodological and psychometric standards to provide a valid and reliable instrument for measuring eHealth literacy in the German language. Methods Two internationally validated instruments were merged to cover a wide scope of the construct of eHealth literacy and create a revised eHealth literacy scale. Translation into the German language followed scientific guidelines and recommendations to ensure content validity. Data from German-speaking people (n=470) were collected in a convenience sample from October to November 2020. Validation was performed by factor analyses. Further, correlations were performed to examine convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Additionally, analyses of measurement invariance of gender, age, and educational level were conducted. Results Analyses revealed a 2-factorial model of eHealth literacy. By item-reduction, the 2 factors information seeking and information appraisal were measured with 8 items reaching acceptable-to-good model fits (comparative fit index [CFI]: 0.942, Tucker Lewis index [TLI]: 0.915, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA]: 0.127, and standardized root mean square residual [SRMR]: 0.055). Convergent validity was comprehensively confirmed by significant correlations of information seeking and information appraisal with health literacy, internet confidence, and internet anxiety. Discriminant and criterion validity were examined by correlation analyses with various scales and could partly be confirmed. Scalar level of measurement invariance for gender (CFI: 0.932, TLI: 0.923, RMSEA: 0.122, and SRMR: 0.068) and educational level (CFI: 0.937, TLI: 0.934, RMSEA: 0.112, and SRMR: 0.063) were confirmed. Measurement invariance of age was rejected. Conclusions Following scientific guidelines for translation and test validation, we developed a revised German eHealth Literacy Scale (GR-eHEALS). Our factor analyses confirmed an acceptable-to-good model fit. Construct validation in terms of convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity could mainly be confirmed. Our findings provide evidence for measurement invariance of the instrument regarding gender and educational level. The newly revised GR-eHEALS questionnaire represents a valid instrument to measure the important health-related construct eHealth literacy.
Psychometrics, eHealth; eHeals; health literacy; factor analysis; measurement invariance; health information; ZIS 183; ZIS 76; ZIS 229, competence, Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics, Medizin, R858-859.7, 610, eHealth -- eHeals -- health literacy -- factor analysis -- validation -- measurement invariance -- internet -- health information, information, health behavior, Information, Surveys and Questionnaires, Medizinische Fakultät » Universitätsklinikum Essen » LVR-Klinikum Essen » Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Messung, Humans, Language, validation, ddc:610, Internet, Original Paper, Gesundheit, Reproducibility of Results, health, Telemedicine, Health Literacy, Validierung, Gesundheitsverhalten, measurement, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270, Electronics, ScholarlyArticle, Kompetenz
Psychometrics, eHealth; eHeals; health literacy; factor analysis; measurement invariance; health information; ZIS 183; ZIS 76; ZIS 229, competence, Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics, Medizin, R858-859.7, 610, eHealth -- eHeals -- health literacy -- factor analysis -- validation -- measurement invariance -- internet -- health information, information, health behavior, Information, Surveys and Questionnaires, Medizinische Fakultät » Universitätsklinikum Essen » LVR-Klinikum Essen » Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Messung, Humans, Language, validation, ddc:610, Internet, Original Paper, Gesundheit, Reproducibility of Results, health, Telemedicine, Health Literacy, Validierung, Gesundheitsverhalten, measurement, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270, Electronics, ScholarlyArticle, Kompetenz
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