The Turkish validity and reliability of the maternal health literacy inventory in pregnancy

Background: There is no Turkish scale measuring maternal health literacy during pregnancy. This study adapted the Maternal Health Literacy Inventory in Pregnancy (MHELIP) to Turkish.Methods: A methodological study's sample consisted of 500 pregnant women admitted to the antenatal clinics of a Maternity Hospital in Ankara, Turkiye. Data were collected using a personal information form, the MHELIP and the Turkish Health Literacy Index (HLI). Language, content, and construct validity were determined. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and item analysis were used to assess reliability. Equivalent-form reliability was evaluated using the HLI. Results: The scale has a four-factor structure that fits well with 48 items (factor loadings: 0.57-0.92; fit index: 4.15 x2/df, 0.08 RMSEA, 0.07 SRMR). The total scale has a Cronbach's alpha of 0.96. The subscales "maternal health knowledge," "search for maternal health information," "assessment of maternal health information," and "maternal health decision making and behavior" have Cronbach's alpha of 0.96, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.94, respectively. There is a correlation between MHELIP and HLI scores (r = 0.570, p<0.001). Conclusion: The MHELIP is a valid and reliable tool for measuring and screening the maternal health literacy of Turkish pregnant women.