A1 Journal article (refereed)
Measuring Health Literacy in Basic Education in Finland : The Development of a Curriculum- and Performance-Based Measurement Instrument (2022)

Summanen, A.-M., Rautopuro, J., Kannas, L., & Paakkari, L. (2022). Measuring Health Literacy in Basic Education in Finland : The Development of a Curriculum- and Performance-Based Measurement Instrument. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), Article 15170. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215170

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Summanen, Anna-Mari; Rautopuro, Juhani; Kannas, Lasse; Paakkari, Leena

Journal or series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

ISSN: 1661-7827

eISSN: 1660-4601

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 17/11/2022

Volume: 19

Issue number: 22

Article number: 15170

Publisher: MDPI

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215170

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/84122

Abstract

This paper describes the development of an objective curriculum- and performance-based health literacy (HL) measurement instrument to assess Finnish 9th graders’ learning outcomes in the school subject termed Health Education (HE). There were four phases: (i) construction of the theoretical framework for the measurement, (ii) item generation, (iii) the field test (n = 252), and (iv) item analysis and item selection for the main study, in which 3652 ninth grade pupils (aged 15–16) participated. Initially, 303 HL test items were formulated, of which 107 were tested in two different field test versions. Both versions exhibited high reliability as measured by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The main study contained 55 items. Testing and item analysis enabled the development of a comprehensive competence- and curriculum-based HL measurement instrument for school-aged children. Measurement of HL in schools provides information for national policies, and for developing HE as a school subject.

Keywords: curricula; health education; learning results; young people; comprehensive school; upper level of comprehensive school; measurement; learning; field research

Free keywords: health literacy

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

JUFO rating: 1