Abstract
BackgroundHealth literacy is a key asset, defined as the capacity to acquire, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health.ObjectivesTo assess the reliability and validity of the French translation of the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy (FCCHL) scale.Methods/participantsA cross-sectional survey using an online questionnaire was proposed to all members of Seintinelles association. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were conducted.ResultsData from 2342 respondents (45.8% had cancer history) were analysed. The FCCHL scale was well-accepted (missing value by item ≤0.7%). Factor analysis revealed an acceptable fit of three-factor model (comparative fit index = 0.922, root mean square error of approximation = 0.065 and standardized root mean square residual = 0.052). The FCCHL showed satisfactory reliability (α = 0.77) and scalar invariance was reached for education and deprivation, but not for age. Known group validity was verified as mean scale scores differed according to education, deprivation and age, as expected.ConclusionThe French version of the FCCHL provides a brief reliable and valid measure to explore the dimensions of health literacy. It could be used by health professionals to screen for health literacy level in order to develop this skill and to tailor health communication.
Highlights
Health literacy (HL) is a key asset, defined as “the individuals' capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” [1, 2]
Factor analysis revealed an acceptable fit of three-factor model
The French version of the FCCHL provides a brief reliable and valid measure to explore the dimensions of health literacy
Summary
Health literacy (HL) is a key asset, defined as “the individuals' capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” [1, 2]. Authors like Nutbeam [3] distinguish three skills: functional literacy, which includes basic skills in reading and writing necessary to understand health information; communicative literacy, which corresponds to the necessary advanced skills to communicate or interact with the healthcare system; and critical literacy to analyse the information. Validated translations of HL measures are needed, as a growing literature has shown the importance of evaluating HL in both patients and general population. Our aim was the psychometric evaluation of the French translation of the FCCHL scale. Health literacy is a key asset, defined as the capacity to acquire, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health
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