Development and validation of the Physician’s Health Literacy Competence Scale: A step towards effective doctor–patient communication

This study aimed to develop a physician's Health Literacy Competence Scale that emphasizes the importance of enhancing patient health literacy for effective patient-centered care. A literature review of health literacy and existing measurement tools was conducted to develop the scale's structure and items. The scale was refined through a cross-sectional design in 2 stages: item testing and examination of reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the pilot test results of 127 medical students. Items with cross and low factor loadings were deleted, resulting in the retention of 25 items. Subsequently, 203 medical students were recruited as samples for confirmatory factor analysis. Items with excessively large modification indices were excluded from analysis. Finally, 20 items were retained, comprising 4 factors: building doctor-patient trust, providing a supportive environment, shared decision-making, and verifying medication adherence. Analysis of content, internal consistency, and construct validity confirmed the strong reliability and validity of the Physician's Health Literacy Competence Scale. This effective tool serves curriculum development and assessment in medical education while also offering valuable insights into potential reforms in related courses.