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BACKGROUND: Schools are important arenas for the promotion of critical health literacy (CHL) among adolescents. Key domains of CHL are information appraisal, understanding social determinants of health, and abilities to act on determinants of health. In this paper, we examine the psychometric properties of the Critical Health Literacy for Adolescents Questionnaire (CHLA‐Q). METHODS: A cross‐sectional survey study was performed at 5 schools in Norway. Respondents included 522 pupils aged 13‐15 years old. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the structural validity. Internal reliability was assessed using ordinal Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The estimated model had acceptable closeness of fit. Five of 6 scales displayed adequate internal reliability. CONCLUSION: The results indicate acceptable fit of the CHLA‐Q framework and that 5 of the 6 scales are applicable to inform future research and interventions. More research is needed on measurement of the second domain of CHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had a profound impact on physical and mental well-being throughout the world. Previous studies have revealed that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used for, and can be potential beneficial for strengthening physical mental resilience. The aims of this study were therefore to determine the prevalence and reasons for use of CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among a representative sample of the Norwegian population, and further determine self-reported effects and adverse effects of the CAM modalities used. Methods: Computer assisted telephone interviews using a COVID-adapted I-CAM-Q questionnaire were conducted with 1008 randomly selected Norwegians aged 16 and above using multistage sampling during April and May 2020 applying age and sex quotas for each area. Frequencies, Pearson's chi-square tests, Fisher exact tests, and independent sample t-test were used to identify the users of CAM, what they used, why they used it and whether they experienced effect and/or adverse effects of the modalities used, and further to describe differences in sociodemographic factors associated with CAM use. Cronbach's alpha tests were used to test for internal consistency in the different groups of CAM. Significance level was set to p < 0.05. Results: The study revealed that two thirds of the respondents (67%) had used CAM within the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular CAM modalities that did not involve a provider. Most used were natural remedies and dietary supplement (57%, mainly vitamins and minerals), but self-help practices like yoga and meditation were also widely used (24%). Women used CAM modalities significantly more than men (77% vs. 58%). Most of the respondents found the modalities they used beneficial, and few reported adverse effects of the treatments. Conclusions: A large proportion of the Norwegian population used CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with high satisfaction and few reported adverse effects. CAM was rarely used to prevent or treat COVID-19, but rather to treat a long-term health condition, and to improve well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]