OBJECTIVES: The aim was to psychometrically test and evaluate the Swedish functional health literacy scale and the Swedish communicative and critical health literacy scale in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional psychometric study.

SETTING: Patients from three bariatric centres in Sweden were consecutively included in this study.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 704 patients undergoing bariatric surgery filled in the questionnaires preoperatively. Inclusion criteria were scheduled for primary bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy) and greater than 17 years, proficiency in Swedish.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MEASURES: Psychometric outcomes of the Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale and the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale.

RESULTS: There was a higher proportion of females (74.4%, n=523) to males (25.6%, n=180). The mean age was 42 years (SD 11.5). Limited functional health literacy and limited communicative and critical health literacy (including both inadequate and problematic health literacy) was reported in 55% (n=390) and 40% (n=285), respectively. Cronbach alpha for the Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale was α=0.86 and for the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale, α=0.87. Construct validity showed weak to negative correlations between the Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale and income, education and SF-36/RAND36 summary scores. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a one-factor solution for the Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale and a two-factor solution for the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale.

CONCLUSIONS: The Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale and the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale are valid and reliable to use for patients undergoing bariatric surgery in a Swedish context. Measuring dimensions of health literacy can be used as a guide for the development of health literacy friendly patient information in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.