Factor Structure of the eHEALS

The dimensionality of the eHEALS has been the subject of some controversy. Sample populations and language versions varywidely, as do the employed statistical methods to assess dimensionality. In previous research, we assessed the factor structure in twodifferent samples testing 1 vs. 2 and 1 vs. 2 vs. 3 correlated factors. The objective of this reanalysis was to assess whether the 3-factormodel fitted better than the 2- and 1-factor models. We analyzed data from a 2009 cross-sectional survey on health literacy in grade 12(n = 327) using CFA. All factor models of the eHEALS showed unsatisfactory model fit. A subsequent exploratory bifactor analysis confirmedmultidimensionality and indicated that Item 2 was problematic. When this item was excluded from the correlated factor models, model fitimproved, and the 3-factor model showed the best fit. The results in our sample of 12th-grade students offer some support to the GermaneHEALS having a 3-factor structure similar to the results from our previous research in women aged 50. The replicability of the fit pattern in adifferent sample and setting was limited by diverging results on Item 2.