Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy Scale

Objective To translate the Chinese version of the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy Scale (FCCHL) and to test its reliability and validity. Methods From November 2015 to January 2016, the English version of the FCCHL was translated and adapted to Chinese culture based on the translator program for scale. We selected 300 chronic disease patients from five communities in Changsha City to evaluate the reliability and validity. Results The survey released 300 questionnaires with 281 ones returning. The sale-content validity index/average (S-CVI/Ave) of the Chinese version of FCCHL was 0.965. Confirmatory factor analysis for three factors results showed χ2=138.797, df=70, χ2/df=1.983, SRMR=0.038, NFI=0.953, CFI=0.976, RMSEA=0.059, and the mean of AIC as well as CAIC was less than saturated model and independent model. The results indicated the model was acceptable. The correlation coefficients between education levels and health literacy as well as three dimensions were 0.418, 0.338, 0.269, 0.303 respectively; the correlation coefficients between self efficacy and health literacy as well as three dimensions were 0.444, 0.271, 0.350, 0.400 respectively; the correlation coefficients between health literacy and partners in health scale as well as three dimensions were 0.496, 0.199, 0.305, 0.329 respectively. The retest reliability was 0.715. The Cronbach's α coefficients of three dimensions and the scale were 0.910, 0.901, 0.900, 0.891 respectively. Conclusions The Chinese version of FCCHL has good reliability and validity. It can be used as an assessment instrument for health literacy among chronic disease patients in China.