Subjective and Objective Measures of Health Information Literacy: Do They Provide Complementary or Redundant Information?

Abstract

The present study examines the psychometric properties and the usefulness of the Health Information Literacy Knowledge Test (HILK), a 24 item multiple-choice test which aims at assessing knowledge related to determining a health information need, searching and accessing information, and evaluating its relevance and quality. 144 German university students completed the HILK together with established subjective measures of health (information) literacy and health status. Correlations of the HILK with subjective measures were at least marginally significant, supporting the assumption that both types of measures assess related constructs. In multiple regression analyses, HILK scores predicted mental and physical health status while there were no associations between subjective health (information) literacy with both health measures. It is concluded that the HILK is a research tool which complements subjective assessments of health literacy and might even be more useful when it comes to predicting health outcomes.