The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study

Abstract BackgroundDigital health competence is increasingly recognized as a core competence for health care professionals. A comprehensive evaluation of knowledge, skills, performance, values, and attitudes necessary to adapt to evolving digital health technologies is essenti...

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Main Authors: Lu Gao, Meilian Chen, Jingxin Wei, Jinni Wang, Xiaoyan Liao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-03-01
Series:JMIR Human Factors
Online Access:https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e65373
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author Lu Gao
Meilian Chen
Jingxin Wei
Jinni Wang
Xiaoyan Liao
author_facet Lu Gao
Meilian Chen
Jingxin Wei
Jinni Wang
Xiaoyan Liao
author_sort Lu Gao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract BackgroundDigital health competence is increasingly recognized as a core competence for health care professionals. A comprehensive evaluation of knowledge, skills, performance, values, and attitudes necessary to adapt to evolving digital health technologies is essential. DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) is a well-established instrument designed to assess digital health competence across diverse health care professionals. ObjectiveThis study aimed to translate and culturally adapt DigiHealthCom into simplified Chinese (Mandarin) and verify its reliability and validity in assessing digital health competence of Chinese health care professionals. MethodsDigiHealthCom was translated into Chinese following the guideline proposed by its original developers. The cultural adaptation involved expert review and cognitive interviewing. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and factor structure were examined. Item analysis tested item discrimination, item correlation, and item homogeneity. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach α, and test-retest reliability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Content validity was assessed through both item and scale content validity indices. Convergent validity was measured by the Average Variance Extracted and Composite Reliability, while discriminant validity was measured by the heterotrait-monotrait ratio. A five-dimension model of DigiHealthCom was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsThe finalized Chinese version of the DigiHealthCom was completed after addressing differences between the back-translations and the original version. No discrepancies affecting item clarity were reported during cognitive interviewing. The validation process involved 398 eligible health care professionals from 36 cities across 15 provinces in China, with 43 participants undergoing a retest after a 2-week interval. Critical ratio values (range 16.05‐23.77, P ConclusionsThe Chinese version of DigiHealthCom has been proved to be reliable and valid. It is now available for assessing digital health competence among Chinese health care professionals. This assessment can be used to guide health care policy makers and educators in designing comprehensive and implementable educational programs and interventions.
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spelling doaj-art-ee53d24d08914b1a96002ec87bdeac1e2025-08-20T02:48:29ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952025-03-0112e65373e6537310.2196/65373The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation StudyLu Gaohttp://orcid.org/0009-0001-8884-0092Meilian Chenhttp://orcid.org/0009-0001-9420-4762Jingxin Weihttp://orcid.org/0009-0001-0524-1677Jinni Wanghttp://orcid.org/0009-0000-6086-7587Xiaoyan Liaohttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6947-2909 Abstract BackgroundDigital health competence is increasingly recognized as a core competence for health care professionals. A comprehensive evaluation of knowledge, skills, performance, values, and attitudes necessary to adapt to evolving digital health technologies is essential. DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) is a well-established instrument designed to assess digital health competence across diverse health care professionals. ObjectiveThis study aimed to translate and culturally adapt DigiHealthCom into simplified Chinese (Mandarin) and verify its reliability and validity in assessing digital health competence of Chinese health care professionals. MethodsDigiHealthCom was translated into Chinese following the guideline proposed by its original developers. The cultural adaptation involved expert review and cognitive interviewing. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and factor structure were examined. Item analysis tested item discrimination, item correlation, and item homogeneity. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach α, and test-retest reliability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Content validity was assessed through both item and scale content validity indices. Convergent validity was measured by the Average Variance Extracted and Composite Reliability, while discriminant validity was measured by the heterotrait-monotrait ratio. A five-dimension model of DigiHealthCom was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsThe finalized Chinese version of the DigiHealthCom was completed after addressing differences between the back-translations and the original version. No discrepancies affecting item clarity were reported during cognitive interviewing. The validation process involved 398 eligible health care professionals from 36 cities across 15 provinces in China, with 43 participants undergoing a retest after a 2-week interval. Critical ratio values (range 16.05‐23.77, P ConclusionsThe Chinese version of DigiHealthCom has been proved to be reliable and valid. It is now available for assessing digital health competence among Chinese health care professionals. This assessment can be used to guide health care policy makers and educators in designing comprehensive and implementable educational programs and interventions.https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e65373
spellingShingle Lu Gao
Meilian Chen
Jingxin Wei
Jinni Wang
Xiaoyan Liao
The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
JMIR Human Factors
title The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
title_full The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
title_fullStr The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
title_full_unstemmed The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
title_short The Chinese Version of the DigiHealthCom (Digital Health Competence) Instrument for Assessing Digital Health Competence of Health Care Professionals: Translation, Adaptation, and Validation Study
title_sort chinese version of the digihealthcom digital health competence instrument for assessing digital health competence of health care professionals translation adaptation and validation study
url https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e65373
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