Table 5.
Confirmed factors for the Swiss Health Literacy Survey in separate dimensional models
| Dimension, competence and item | CFA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Original competence | Item | Factor loading |
| A Information and knowledge | |||
| Access to health information | |||
| Q3 | Access to information about health | Having enough information to choose treatment | 0.64 |
| Q5 | Access to information about health services | Having enough information to choose doctor | 0.69 |
| Q6 | Access to information about health services | Having enough information to choose hospital | 0.75 |
| Q7 | Access to information about health services | Having enough information to choose sick fund | 0.55 |
| Seeking health information | |||
| Q1 | Access to information about health | Number of sources of health information | 0.40 |
| Q8 | Seeking health information | Seeking health information to avoid doctor visit | 0.63 |
| Q9 | Seeking health information | Seeking health info to prepare for doctor visit | 0.86 |
| Q10 | Seeking health information | Seeking additional health info after doctor visit | 0.72 |
| Q12 | Seeking health information | Information seeking on food labels | 0.24 |
| Q14 | Seeking health information | Information seeking on PIL | 0.29 |
| Ability to understand information on health and science | |||
| Q17 | Ability to understand health information | Understanding information in the media | 0.39 |
| Q13 | Seeking health information | Understanding information on food labels | 0.43 |
| Q15 | Seeking health information | Understanding information on package insert | 0.45 |
| Q27 | Knowledge about condition and treatment | Knowledge about lifestyle/prevention | 0.34 |
| Q28 | Scientific literacy | Knowledge about science and technology | 0.53 |
| Health information on the Internet | |||
| Q11 | Seeking health information | Internet a good source of health information | 0.93 |
| Q18 | Ability to understand health information | Understanding information on the Internet | 0.84 |
| B General cognitive skills | |||
| Literacy, numeracy, and communication skills | |||
| Q29 | General life skills | Reading | 0.65 |
| Q30 | General life skills | Writing | 0.73 |
| Q31 | General life skills | Numeracy | 0.71 |
| Q35 | General life skills | Self‐expression | 0.80 |
| ICT skills | |||
| Q32 | General life skills | Computer skills | 0.74 |
| Q33 | General life skills | Internet skills | 0.74 |
| Q34 | General life skills | Technical skills | 0.90 |
| Interpersonal skills and problem‐solving | |||
| Q36 | General life skills | Problem‐solving | 0.76 |
| Q37 | General life skills | Cross‐cultural skills | 0.55 |
| Q38 | General life skills | Team work | 0.60 |
| Q39 | General life skills | Learning new things | 0.77 |
| Critical decision‐making | |||
| Q48 | Critical decision‐making | Choosing a sick fund | 0.65 |
| Q49 | Critical decision‐making | Choosing a doctor | 0.71 |
| Q50 | Critical decision‐making | Choosing a medication | 0.52 |
| Q51 | Critical decision‐making | Choosing a medical treatment | 0.50 |
| Q52 | Critical decision‐making | Choosing foods | 0.53 |
| C Social roles | |||
| Address social determinants of health | |||
| Q57 | Address social determinants of health | Public involvement in health policies | 0.30 |
| Q60 | Address social determinants of health | Knowledge of patients’ rights | 0.78 |
| Q61 | Consumer competencies | Knowledge of consumer rights | 0.80 |
| Consumer competencies | |||
| Q55 | Address social determinants of health | Knowledge about politics and current affairs | 0.42 |
| Q62 | Consumer competencies | Having time to make choices | 0.55 |
| Q63 | Consumer competencies | Overwhelmed by choices | 0.44 |
| Q64 | Consumer competencies | Not enough information and support to make choices | 0.42 |
| D Medical management | |||
| First aid and informal care | |||
| Q67 | First aid | First aid course | 0.32 |
| Q93 | Informal care | Avoid a doctor visit by treating at home | 0.79 |
| Q96 | Informal care | Avoid a doctor visit by visiting a pharmacist | 0.47 |
| Q92 | Informal care | Avoid a doctor visit by waiting it out | 0.78 |
| Q111 | Informal care | Self‐care for minor ailments | 0.24 |
| Q127 | Informal care | Interest in more self‐care for minor ailments | 0.32 |
| D Medical management [patient items] | |||
| Knowledge about condition and treatment, recognize and act on symptoms and adherence | |||
| Q19 | Knowledge about condition and treatment | Knowledge about health condition | 0.59 |
| Q20 | Knowledge about condition and treatment | Knowledge about treatment | 0.67 |
| Q68 | Recognize and act on symptoms | Monitoring symptoms | 0.68 |
| Q69 | Recognize and act on symptoms | Acting on symptoms | 0.66 |
| Q70 | Use medications correctly/adherence | Adherence | 0.48 |
| Effective interaction with healthcare providers – patient communication skills | |||
| Q58 | Address social determinants of health | Membership in patient organization | 0.35 |
| Q71 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Prepare questions for doctor | 0.34 |
| Q72 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Ask doctor questions | 0.70 |
| Q73 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Discuss personal problems with doctor | 0.63 |
| Effective interaction with healthcare providers – communication with doctor | |||
| Q16 | Ability to understand health information | Understanding information from your doctor | 0.52 |
| Q23 | Knowledge about condition and treatment | Knowledge about how long to take medicine | 0.39 |
| Q76 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Your doctor listens carefully | 0.78 |
| Q77 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Your doctor explains understandably | 0.77 |
| Q78 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Your doctor takes time for questions | 0.81 |
| Q79 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Your doctor offers various treatment options | 0.54 |
| Q80 | Effective interaction with healthcare providers | Your doctor discusses treatment pros and cons | 0.72 |
| Healthcare utilization – assertive use | |||
| Q87 | Healthcare utilization | Request additional diagnostic examinations | 0.56 |
| Q88 | Healthcare utilization | Request additional medicines | 0.59 |
| Q89 | Healthcare utilization | Request referral to another doctor | 0.50 |
| Q90 | Healthcare utilization | Request referral to an institution | 0.58 |
| Q91 | Healthcare utilization | Request a medical certificate | 0.37 |
| E Healthy lifestyle | |||
| Healthy lifestyle overall, nutrition and diet, and non‐smoking | |||
| Q109 | Healthy lifestyle overall | Health consciousness | 0.71 |
| Q110 | Healthy lifestyle overall | Activities to maintain health | 0.52 |
| Q113 | Nutrition and diet | Eating healthy | 0.61 |
| Q118 | Non‐smoking | Smoking – current | 0.44 |
| Exercise | |||
| Q117 | Exercise | Member of a sports club | 0.65 |
| Q115 | Exercise | Physical activity | 0.32 |