Aliff Ahmad
Project Manager
on
Case Studies / Developing a Short-Scale Health Literacy Survey for Malaysia
Developing a Short-Scale Health Literacy Survey for Malaysia
Issue
Health literacy is more than just understanding medical terms; it’s about empowering people to take control of their own health, make informed decisions, and reduce the strain on the healthcare system. In Malaysia, improving health literacy could have a significant impact on the nation's overall well-being.
Where
Malaysia (nationwide)
Our Methodology/Approach:
To tackle this issue, we set out to create a shorter, more efficient instrument that would still be accurate and reliable. Using a method called confirmatory factor analysis, we refined a 47-item scale, adopted from the HLS-EU survey, into an 18-item version. We then conducted a nationwide survey, carefully selecting participants through stratified sampling to ensure the representation of Malaysia’s racial and geographical diversity.
Outcome:
The result was an 18-item health literacy tool that was both effective and feasible for widespread use in Malaysia. This new instrument was adopted by the Ministry of Health and included in the National Health Morbidity Survey, providing a valuable resource for ongoing efforts to improve health literacy and, in turn, enhance the nation’s overall health.
