Development and validation of the physical literacy scale for young and middle-aged patients with hypertension

In recent years, the significance of physical literacy in enhancing the well-being of patients with hypertension has gained increasing recognition. Physical literacy, defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, and knowledge and understanding necessary to engage in physical activities, plays a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. However, most existing studies have focused on the general population or specific subgroups, such as children, adolescents, and older adults, with limited attention to the unique needs of young and middle-aged patients with hypertension.

The study aimed to develop and validate the physical literacy scale for young and middle-aged patients with hypertension (PLS-YMPH). We investigated the reliability and validity of this scale to evaluate its quality, providing a valid tool for assessing physical literacy in this specific group.

Initial items were developed through a literature review and face-to-face interviews. The item pool was modified based on the results of the two-round Delphi method. After forming the initial draft of the PLS-YMPH, items were screened using the critical ratio method, correlation coefficient method, Cronbach's α coefficient method, and exploratory factor analysis. Finally, reliability and validity tests were conducted. The content validity, construct validity, discriminant validity, as well as content reliability, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability of the scale were calculated.

The developed scale consists of 4 dimensions and 18 items. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the overall scale was 0.943, with individual dimensions ranging from 0.917 to 0.946. The split-half reliability coefficient was 0.833, and the dimensions ranged from 0.919 to 0.947. The test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.854, with dimensions ranging from 0.805 to 0.959. The S-CVI/Ave for the scale was 0.918, and the values for each dimension were 0.925, 0.906, 0.896, and 0.948, all exceeding 0.80.

The developed PLS-YMPH demonstrates good reliability and validity. It provides a valuable tool for assessing the physical literacy of this specific patient group, laying the groundwork for further research in this area.