Korean Version of the Digital Health Readiness Questionnaire among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in South Korea: A Validity and Reliability Study.

PURPOSE: With the increasing adoption of digital technologies in healthcare, the concept of digital health readiness has emerged as a critical determinant of equitable access to digital health services. This study aimed to translate and validate a Korean version of the Digital Health Readiness Questionnaire (K-DHRQ) for use among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. METHODS: This methodological study was conducted with 307 older adults recruited from an urban senior welfare center in South Korea. The 20-item DHRQ, comprising five domains, was translated into Korean through forward-backward translation and cultural adaptation. The reliability of the K-DHRQ was assessed through internal consistency. Construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and concurrent validity was examined by analyzing correlations between the K-DHRQ subscales and the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Measurement invariance and known-group validity were examined across age and education groups using multiple group CFA, comparing latent means of the five subscales. RESULTS: The initial 20-item model showed suboptimal fit (χ2/df = 3.32, CFI = .88, TLI = .86, RMSEA = .09, SRMR = .06). After removing Items 2 and 4, the final 18-item model showed modestly improved fit (χ2/df = 3.13, CFI = .91, TLI = .89, RMSEA = .08, SRMR = .06). Concurrent validity was supported by significant correlations between K-DHRQ subscales and eHEALS scores (r = .41 to .75, p < .001). Internal consistency was acceptable to good across subscales (Cronbach's α=.71-.83) Measurement invariance was confirmed across age and education groups, and known-group validity was demonstrated, with older and less-educated participants showing significantly lower latent means across all five subscales (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The K-DHRQ demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, concurrent validity, measurement invariance, and known-group validity, though its overall factor structure showed only marginal fit, indicating partially supported construct validity. Overall, the K-DHRQ appears to be a reliable, culturally adapted, and measurement-invariant tool for assessing digital health readiness among older adults, warranting further refinement of its factor structure before broader application.