Health Literacy and Patient Compliance: Implications for Public Health Interventions from a COVID-19 Study

Abstract

A wealth of research has documented the detrimental consequences of health illiteracy and its impact on a multitude of health-related issues. Scholars across various disciplines have consistently shown that individuals with higher educational attainment, those born in the United States, and those with greater English proficiency, are more likely to exhibit higher levels of health literacy. However, the extent to which these individuals adhere to established health guidelines remains an understudied area. Therefore, we analyzed data from one of the largest cities impacted by COVID-19 in the United States, to determine whether traditional predictors of high health literacy levels translated into higher levels of vaccination intentions and vaccination doses, to protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19 related illness and death. The results indicated that individuals with high health literacy levels do not necessarily exhibit higher levels of compliance, thus challenging conventional wisdom.