Exploring the Measurement Properties of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) Among Baby Boomers: A Multinational Test...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Psychometrics
• Digital Health

Background:

• The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) is a key tool for measuring eHealth literacy.
• Its growing use necessitates a thorough examination of its psychometric properties.
• Previous research has not fully explored its theoretical foundations or factorial validity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the factorial validity and measurement invariance of the eHEALS.
• To assess the eHEALS among baby boomers across the US, UK, and New Zealand.
• To investigate a novel 3-factor structure based on social cognitive and self-efficacy theories.

Main Methods:

• Online questionnaires were administered to a random sample of baby boomers (N=996) from three countries.
• Structural equation modeling was employed to test a proposed 3-factor structure.
• Multinational measurement invariance was investigated using established fit indices.

Main Results:

• The eHEALS exhibited a strong 3-factor structure with excellent model fit.
• The scale demonstrated metric invariance (RMSEA=.040, CFI=.984) and scalar invariance (RMSEA=.042, CFI=.978).
• These findings were consistent across samples from the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first evidence of multigroup factorial equivalence for the eHEALS.
• The validated 3-factor structure and measurement invariance increase confidence in using eHEALS globally.
• Results support the use of eHEALS in diverse eHealth assessment applications, from primary care to health promotion.