Medication Health Literacy Measure: Development and Psychometric Properties

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Low levels of health literacy are prevalent worldwide. This report details development and psychometric properties of a health literacy measure for oral medications based on design of the Newest Vital Sign. Methods: The measure was completed during the baseline interview. A principal components analysis evaluated dimensionality of the measure. Cronbach’s alpha assessed subscale internal consistencies. Results: Internal consistencies and reliability for the subscales were acceptable for a new instrument (α = .661, α = .686, α = .400). A 3-factor structure explained 65.34% of the total variance. Divergent validity with the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) was established. Conclusions: Our data indicates that the medication health literacy tool is multidimensional, valid, and reliable. This information is important in light of emerging evidence of the impact of health literacy on medication adherence and health.