Willingness to Communicate about Health as an Underlying Trait of Patient Self-Advocacy: The Development of the Willingness to Communicate about Health (WTCH) Measure

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a measurement instrument to assess people's willingness to communicate about their health and to see how this communication predisposition might be related to health information-seeking behaviors and patient assertiveness. The researchers discuss the development of the Willingness to Communicate about Health (WTCH) scale, and they report findings from a study that assessed the WTCH scale using two distinct samples. The results of the study found similarities for the WTCH scale item factor solutions across samples, a relationship between the WTCH and the larger willingness to communication predisposition, and the scale was found to be related to both information-seeking behaviors and patient assertiveness. Finally, the researchers discuss validity and reliability issues surrounding the WTCH measure and potential applications of the scale in health communication contexts.

Keywords:

• Communication Traits
• Patient Self-Advocacy
• Willingness to Communicate about Health

Notes

This manuscript was accepted by the previous editor, professor Jim L. Query.