Table 2.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the extended eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS-E). All items are on a scale of 1=completely disagree to 5=completely agree. Only factor weights of absolute value equal or larger than .40 are reported.

Scale items	Fac1a	Fac2a	Fac3a	Fac4a	Fac5a	Fac6a
I know what health resources are available on the Internet.	.61
I know where to find helpful health resources on the Internet.	.61
I know how to use the Internet to answer my health questions.	.57
I have the skills I need to evaluate the health resources I find on the Internet.		.78
I can tell high-quality from low-quality health resources on the Internet.		.75
I can easily extract the essential meaning of some health information on the Internet.		.50
Considering all health information on the Internet, I sometimes find it difficult to select the most relevant for my health.			−.73
The huge quantity of health information available on the Internet usually confuses me.			−.78
I do not have any difficulties understanding the terminology used by some online health resources.			.71
Sometimes, when I am confronted with a health issue, I am not sure where to start searching for information on the Internet.			−.56
I feel confident using information from the Internet to make successful health decisions.				.66
Usually, I do not find helpful health information on the Internet.				−.43
The Internet helps me to make decisions about my health more easily.				.56
It is important for me to be able to access health-related online information.				.63
If I do not fully understand health information on the Internet, I try to make sense of it.					−41
If I do not understand health information on the Internet, I would rather ask somebody for an explanation than to form my own conclusions.					.52
It is important to me to check health information that I find on the Internet with other resources (such as doctors, books, friends, or relatives).					.46
I think that most of the health information we find on the Internet can be trusted (R).						.77
I am satisfied with the first health resource on the Internet that can deliver answers to my questions (R).						.64
On the Internet, I prefer reading short and simple health explanations instead of complicated expert clarifications (R).						.63
Cronbach alpha	.75	.81	.80	.75	.52	.70

^aFac1 corresponds to the factor awareness of sources, Fac2 to recognizing quality and meaning, Fac3 to understanding information, Fac4 to perceived efficiency, Fac5 to validating information, and Fac6 to being smart on the Net.