Development and validation of the Health Visual Information Preference Scale

Area of Science:

• Health communication
• Patient education
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Patient comprehension of health information is crucial for adherence and outcomes.
• Individual preferences for information formats, such as visual aids, likely influence health literacy.
• Currently, no validated scale exists to measure preferences for visual health information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Health Visual Information Preference Scale (Health VIPS).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the Health VIPS in diverse patient populations.
• To establish a reliable measure for identifying patients who prefer visual health information.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted involving undergraduate students and surgical/outpatient populations.
• Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to determine scale structure.
• Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent/discriminant validity were rigorously assessed.

Main Results:

• Both EFA and CFA supported a two-factor structure for the Health VIPS.
• The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .70-.80) and test-retest reliability (r = .63).
• Convergent and discriminant validity were established, indicating the scale accurately measures visual information preferences.

Conclusions:

• The Health Visual Information Preference Scale (Health VIPS) possesses strong psychometric properties.
• This validated scale can identify patients who would benefit from visual health information aids.
• Aligning information delivery with patient preferences, particularly for visual formats, can enhance understanding and health outcomes.