Evaluating Cancer Health Information Literacy Measurement Tools: A Systematic Review

Abstract

By helping patients and caregivers comprehend cancer-related information, treatment options, and self-care techniques, Cancer Health Information Literacy (CHIL) helps prevent the disease, diagnose it early, and improve health outcomes. Finding successful interventions and educational techniques requires an accurate assessment of CHIL, as information availability and utilisation have grown in importance in the healthcare decision-making process. This study aims to find, inspect, and summarise the content of research on CHIL assessment methods and to identify the best tools for measuring cancer health information literacy. Using terms associated with “CHIL” and “health information literacy measurement tools in cancer,” a comprehensive search was carried out across four major electronic databases: PubMed Central, Google Scholar, ERIC, and ProQuest. Studies were included if they described the creation, verification, or use of CHIL measurement tools were included. 39 pertinent articles that described different CHIL assessment instruments with varying conceptual frameworks, item content, and psychometric qualities were found in the review. While several cancer health information literacy assessment tools showed acceptable validity and reliability, some had drawbacks such as narrow breadth and insufficient cultural sensitivity. The results highlight the need for CHIL measurement instruments that are thorough, verified, and culturally sensitive in order to capture the multifaceted character of cancer health information literacy. In order to promote successful therapies and enhance cancer-related outcomes, future research should concentrate on improving and creating reliable evaluation tools.