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. 2023 Sep 26:9:20552076231203801.
doi: 10.1177/20552076231203801. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the media Health Literacy Questionnaire: A validation study

Wenbo Li  1 , Yanli Zhang  1 , Jiaqing Liang  1 , Hongyu Yu  1
Affiliations

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the media Health Literacy Questionnaire: A validation study

Wenbo Li et al. Digit Health. .

Abstract

Background: The media play an important role in health promotion and disease prevention, while at the same time, a variety of mixed health messages in the media are beginning to pose new challenges to them. However, there is a lack of media health literacy (MHL) assessment tools in China. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to translate the Media Health Literacy (MeHLit) questionnaire into Chinese and to assess its psychometric properties.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2022, and a methodological study of the translation and validation of the MeHLit questionnaire was conducted.

Results: As a result of an extensive translation and cultural adaptation process, the final MeHLit questionnaire was developed, which includes five dimensions and 21 items. Cronbach's α value of the questionnaire was 0.859, and Cronbach's α value of the dimensions ranged from 0.776 to 0.911, which is fairly good. As a result, the test-retest reliability coefficient and the split-half reliability coefficient of the questionnaire are both equal to 0.907. Its content validity index was 0.946, suggesting a reasonable level of content validity. Through exploratory factor analysis, a five-factor structure was identified based on the eigenvalues, total variance explained, and scree plot. As a result of the validation factor analysis, all recommended fit indicators were appropriate.

Conclusion: The Chinese version of the MeHLit questionnaire has been successfully introduced in China. It has shown good psychometric properties among the Chinese public and can be used as a tool to evaluate MHL in health screening.

Keywords: Media literacy; cross-cultural adaptation; health; media health literacy; psychometric validation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The development procedure of the Chinese version of the Media Health Literacy (MeHLit) questionnaire.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Scree plot of exploratory factor analysis for the Chinese version of Media Health Literacy (MeHLit) questionnaire.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Standardized five-factor model of the Chinese version of the Media Health Literacy (MeHLit) questionnaire.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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