Table 2 Data quality of the translated Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) in a Danish population (n = 481)
Subscale/items | Obs (n = 481) | Missing [n (%)] | Median | Mean (SD) | Strongly disagree (%) | Disagree (%) | Agree (%) | Strongly agree (%) | *Difficulty level (%) (95 % CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers | |||||||||
I have at least one healthcare provider who knows me well … | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 2.79 (0.89) | 8.4 | 27.1 | 41.5 | 23.0 | 35.5 (31.3–39.9) |
I have at least one healthcare provider I can discuss … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 2.98 (0.75) | 4.0 | 16.7 | 56.3 | 23.0 | 20.7 (17.3–24.6) |
I have the healthcare providers I need to help me work … | 480 | 1 (0.2) | 3 | 3.13 (0.61) | 1.0 | 9.8 | 64.0 | 25.2 | 10.8 (8.3–14.0) |
I can rely on at least one healthcare provider … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 3 | 3.08 (0.68) | 2.1 | 13.0 | 59.7 | 25.2 | 15.1 (12.1–18.6) |
3.00 (0.60) | 20.5 | ||||||||
2. Having sufficient information to manage my health | |||||||||
I feel I have good information about health | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 3.15 (0.61) | 1.3 | 8.8 | 64.0 | 25.9 | 10.0 (7.6–13.1) |
I have enough information to help me deal with my … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 3.09 (0.68) | 2.3 | 11.9 | 60.5 | 25.3 | 14.2 (11.4–17.7) |
I am sure I have all the information I need to manage … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 3.01 (0.69) | 3.1 | 13.4 | 62.6 | 20.9 | 16.5 (13.5–20.1) |
I have all the information I need to look after my health | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 2.98 (0.68) | 1.5 | 19.7 | 58.6 | 20.3 | 21.1 (17.7–25.0) |
3.06 (0.55) | 15.5 | ||||||||
3. Actively managing my health | |||||||||
I spend quite a lot of time actively managing my health | 476 | 5 (1.1) | 3 | 2.72 (0.75) | 4.0 | 33.6 | 48.5 | 13.9 | 37.6 (33.3–42.1) |
I make plans for what I need to do to be healthy | 476 | 5 (1.1) | 3 | 2.79 (0.79) | 5.0 | 28.8 | 48.1 | 18.1 | 33.8 (29.7–38.2) |
Despite other things in my life, I make time to be healthy | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 2.62 (0.74) | 4.0 | 41.8 | 42.3 | 11.9 | 45.8 (41.4–50.3) |
I set my own goals about health and fitness | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 3.00 (0.67) | 1.7 | 17.5 | 60.3 | 20.5 | 19.2 (15.9–23.0) |
There are things that I do regularly to make myself more healthy | 480 | 1 (0.2) | 3 | 3.04 (0.68) | 2.3 | 14.0 | 60.8 | 22.9 | 16.3 (13.2–19.8) |
2.84 (0.55) | 30.5 | ||||||||
4. Social support for health | |||||||||
I can get access to several people who understand and … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 3.10 (0.67) | 1.7 | 12.8 | 59.4 | 26.2 | 14.4 (11.6–17.9) |
When I feel ill, the people around me really understand … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 3 | 2.90 (0.72) | 4.2 | 18.8 | 59.6 | 17.4 | 23.0 (19.4–27.0) |
If I need help, I have plenty of people I rely on | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 3.17 (0.72) | 2.3 | 11.9 | 52.2 | 33.6 | 14.2 (11.3–17.6) |
I have at least one person who can come to medical … | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 3.31 (0.66) | 2.3 | 4.4 | 53.2 | 40.1 | 6.7 (4.8–9.3) |
I have strong support from family and friends | 480 | 1 (0.2) | 3 | 3.21 (0.65) | 1.5 | 8.5 | 57.3 | 32.7 | 10.0 (7.6–13.0) |
3.14 (0.52) | 13.7 | ||||||||
5. Appraisal of health information | |||||||||
I compare health information from different sources | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 2.85 (0.75) | 5.2 | 21.5 | 56.6 | 16.7 | 26.7 (22.9–30.9) |
When I see new information about health, I check up … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 3 | 2.62 (0.80) | 6.7 | 38.4 | 41.5 | 13.4 | 45.1 (40.6–49.6) |
I always compare health information from different sources … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 3 | 2.69 (0.80) | 5.2 | 35.8 | 43.2 | 15.7 | 41.1 (36.7–45.6) |
I know how to find out if the health information I receive is … | 476 | 5 (1.1) | 3 | 2.91 (0.75) | 4.2 | 21.0 | 54.8 | 20.0 | 25.2 (21.5–29.3) |
I ask healthcare providers about the quality of the … | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 3 | 2.68 (0.79) | 6.1 | 34.2 | 45.5 | 14.2 | 40.3 (36.0–44.8) |
2.75 (0.56) | 35.7 | ||||||||
Subscale/items | Obs (n = 481) | Missing n (%) | Median | Mean (SD) | Cannot do (%) | Very difficult (%) | Quite difficult (%) | Quite easy (%) | Very easy (%) | *Difficulty level (%) (95 % CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6. Ability to actively engage with healthcare providers | ||||||||||
Make sure that healthcare providers understand your … | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 4 | 3.79 (0.75) | 0.8 | 3.5 | 24.8 | 57.2 | 13.6 | 29.2 (25.3–33.5) |
Feel able to discuss your health concerns with a … | 480 | 1 (0.2) | 4 | 4.11 (0.72) | 0.4 | 2.7 | 10.2 | 58.3 | 28.3 | 13.3 (10.6–16.7) |
Have good discussions about your health with doctors | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 4 | 4.05 (0.81) | 1.0 | 3.5 | 13.2 | 53.7 | 28.6 | 17.7 (14.6–21.4) |
Discuss things with healthcare providers until you understand … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 3.98 (0.78) | 1.0 | 2.9 | 16.8 | 55.8 | 23.5 | 20.8 (17.3–24.6) |
Ask healthcare providers questions to get the … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 4.00 (0.74) | 0.6 | 2.3 | 16.4 | 57.7 | 23.1 | 19.3 (16.0–23.1) |
3.99 (0.59) | 20.1 | |||||||||
7. Navigating the healthcare system | ||||||||||
Find the right healthcare | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 4 | 3.58 (0.86) | 3.3 | 5.8 | 29.0 | 52.6 | 9.2 | 38.2 (33.9–42.7) |
Get to see the healthcare providers I need to | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 4 | 3.72 (0.85) | 1.0 | 7.3 | 25.9 | 49.8 | 15.9 | 34.3 (30.2–38.7) |
Decide which healthcare provider you need to see … | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 4 | 3.87 (0.78) | 1.3 | 2.3 | 23.2 | 54.4 | 18.8 | 26.8 (23.0–30.9) |
Make sure you find the right place to get the health … | 476 | 5 (1.1) | 4 | 3.80 (0.75) | 0.6 | 4.0 | 24.8 | 56.3 | 14.3 | 29.4 (25.5–33.7) |
Find out what healthcare services you are entitled to … | 475 | 6 (1.3) | 4 | 3.47 (0.89) | 1.5 | 11.2 | 38.3 | 37.3 | 11.8 | 50.9 (46.4–55.4) |
Work out what is the best care for you | 473 | 8 (1.7) | 4 | 3.69 (0.77) | 1.1 | 3.8 | 31.7 | 51.8 | 11.6 | 36.6 (32.3–41.0) |
3.69 (0.61) | 36.0 | |||||||||
8. Ability to find good health information | ||||||||||
Find information about health problems | 479 | 2 (0.4) | 4 | 4.04 (0.70) | 1.0 | 1.5 | 11.9 | 63.9 | 21.7 | 14.4 (11.5–17.9) |
Find health information from several different places | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 3.98 (0.81) | 1.9 | 2.7 | 14.0 | 58.3 | 23.1 | 18.7 (15.4–22.4) |
Get information about health so you are up to date … | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 3.98 (0.71) | 1.7 | 1.3 | 12.8 | 66.2 | 18.0 | 15.7 (12.7–19.3) |
Get health information in words you understand … | 475 | 6 (1.3) | 4 | 3.92 (0.75) | 0.8 | 3.8 | 16.0 | 60.8 | 18.5 | 20.6 (17.2–24.5) |
Get health information by yourself | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 4.01 (0.77) | 1.9 | 2.3 | 10.9 | 62.5 | 22.4 | 15.1 (12.1–18.6) |
3.99 (0.61) | 16.9 | |||||||||
9. Understanding health information well enough to know what to do | ||||||||||
Confidently fill medical forms in the correct way | 478 | 3 (0.6) | 4 | 3.93 (0.83) | 1.9 | 3.3 | 16.9 | 55.9 | 22,0 | 22.2 (18.7–26.1) |
Accurately follow the instructions from healthcare providers | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 3.93 (0.64) | 0.4 | 1.0 | 18.7 | 65.2 | 14.7 | 20.1 (16.8–24.0) |
Read and understand written health information | 476 | 5 (1.1) | 4 | 4.02 (0.74) | 0.8 | 2.3 | 14.1 | 59.2 | 23.5 | 17.2 (14.1–20.9) |
Read and understand all the information on medication labels | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 3.81 (0.80) | 1.5 | 3.8 | 22.9 | 55.8 | 16.1 | 28.1 (24.2–32.3) |
Understand what healthcare providers are asking you to do | 477 | 4 (0.8) | 4 | 4.08 (0.71) | 1.0 | 1.7 | 10.1 | 63.1 | 24.1 | 12.8 (10.1–16.1) |
3.95 (0.56) | 20.1 | |||||||||