Measuring Navigational Health Literacy in Russia: Validation of the HLS₁₉-NAV-RU

Structures and regulations of healthcare systems in many countries have become increasingly complex and difficult for patients and users to navigate. Thus, more than ever before, navigational health literacy (NAV-HL) is needed by patients. There are no data on NAV-HL in Russia due to the lack of suitable concepts and measuring tools. Therefore, the study aimed to validate the HLS₁₉ navigational health literacy assessment tool (HLS₁₉-NAV) for the Russian-speaking population. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the validation process, including a comprehensibility check and psychometric analysis. Overall, the results of the HLS₁₉-NAV-RU validation demonstrate the partial validity of the NAV-HL tool in the Russian language. Nevertheless, the instrument can be recommended for further research and use in health literacy studies in Russia.