The Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ): An outcomes and evaluation measure for patient education and self-management interventions for people with chronic conditions

<b>Objective:</b> This paper describes the development and validation of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ). The aim was to develop a user-friendly, relevant, and psychometrically sound instrument for the comprehensive evaluation of patient education programs, which can be applied across a broad range of chronic conditions.<br /><b><br />Methods:</b> Item development for the heiQ was guided by a Program Logic Model, Concept Mapping, interviews with stakeholders and psychometric analyses. Construction (N = 591) and confirmatory (N = 598) samples were drawn from consumers of patient education programs and hospital outpatients. The properties of the heiQ were investigated using item response theory and structural equation modeling.<br /><br /><b>Results:</b> Over 90 candidate items were generated, with 42 items selected for inclusion in the final scale. Eight independent dimensions were derived: Positive and Active Engagement in Life (five items, Cronbach's alpha (α) = 0.86); Health Directed Behavior (four items, α = 0.80); Skill and Technique Acquisition (five items, α = 0.81); Constructive Attitudes and Approaches (five items, α = 0.81); Self-Monitoring and Insight (seven items, α = 0.70); Health Service Navigation (five items, α = 0.82); Social Integration and Support (five items, α = 0.86); and Emotional Wellbeing (six items, α = 0.89).<br /><b><br />Conclusion:</b>The heiQ has high construct validity and is a reliable measure of a broad range of patient education program benefits.<br /><b><br />Practice Implications:</b> The heiQ will provide valuable information to clinicians, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders about the value of patient education programs in chronic disease management.<br />