Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40747568›Full record

ArticleHealth promotion international2025

Validation of the Swedish version of HLS19-Q12: a measurement for general health literacy.

Josefin Wångdahl, Maria Jaensson, Karina Dahlberg, Lina Bergman, Roger Keller Celeste, Megan Doheny, Janne Agerholm

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Health promotion international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Measuring General Health Literacy in Haitian Immigrant Adults: Validation of the HLSInternational journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Article
  2. The Greek Versions of the HLSHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Josefin WångdahlAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-4743-8259
Maria JaenssonFaculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health Science, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-7574-6745
Karina DahlbergFaculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health Science, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden.
Lina BergmanDivision of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Alfred Nobels Allé 23, C2, 141 52 Huddinge, Sweden.
Roger Keller CelesteAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-2468-6655
Megan DohenyAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-4170-6451
Janne AgerholmAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare 2022-0588
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Health literacy (HL) is a critical determinant of health, as it affects health behavior and outcomes, in addition to equity in health. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Swedish version of HLS19-Q12 (HLS19-Q12-SE). The HLS19-Q12 is a widely used instrument that consists of 12-items and is often used to assess HL in Europe. A convergent mixed-methods design was applied, including cognitive interviews (n  =  8) and psychometric testing with a survey sample (n  =  374) and test-retest group (n  =  28). The instrument was forward and backwards translated and culturally adapted. Data was analyzed using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, correlation testing, and reliability assessments. Cognitive interviews explored the clarity, interpretation, and contextual relevance of the items. Participants found the HLS19-Q12-SE clear and easy to understand, though some reported difficulties with unfamiliar health situations and uncertainty of the term "health information." Based on the interviews, the examples for one of the items were culturally adapted. Psychometric testing showed good feasibility, no floor or ceiling effects on scale level, and moderate positive correlations with other HL instruments, supporting internal and external validity. Structural validity was confirmed, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were satisfactory. However, ceiling effects were observed at the dichotomous item level, and correlations with self-rated health and social status were low. The HLS19-Q12-SE is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing general HL in Sweden. While psychometric properties were strong overall, future research should address ceiling effects on item level and explore the instrument's performance in more diverse populations.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyAdultAgedFactor Analysis, StatisticalFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPsychometricsReproducibility of ResultsSurveys and QuestionnairesSwedenTranslationscognitive interviewshealth literacyHLS19-Q12measurementsM-POHLSwedenvalidation

Identifiers

PMID40747568
PMCPMC12314267

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.