Abstract
The rapid increase in immigration to the United States in the past decades has resulted in an influx of individuals who have to familiarize themselves with a completely new health care system and practices, often in a new language. The purpose of this study was to assess health literacy and investigate its correlates among older U.S. Polish immigrants living in the Greater Chicago area. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 60 older adults (24 men, 36 women; mean age = 71.1 years) who completed the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA) and a demographic survey. Scores on S-TOFHLA were lower among older and less-educated immigrants. Undocumented immigrants reported using health care services less frequently than those with legal status. These results confirm the findings of previous studies that older age and fewer years of education are associated with inadequate health literacy. Being familiar with at least the basic information about one’s condition will help patients to better understand a diagnosis, manage their symptoms, and improve any preventive treatment. The findings emphasize the importance of health education among older Polish immigrants. More research employing diverse groups of immigrants is needed to better understand the factors associated with health literacy.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
