Predictors of health literacy among older adults with hypertension in Bali, Indonesia: A cross-sectional study.

Beyond the tip of the iceberg: Health literacy in older people.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine pregnant women's health literacy level and evaluate the relationship between the determined health literacy levels with COVID 19 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 381 pregnant women between September 2020 and February 2021. The questionnaire, 25 questions about socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes and behaviors with COVID 19, and “Turkey Health Literacy Scale-32 (THLS-32)” consisting of 32 questions was applied by face-to-face interview technique. Results: The average age of participants is 28.70 ± 5.45, and 58.8% of them have an education level above high school. It is the first pregnancy of 27.0% of participants. The average week of gestation is 22.45 ± 9.94. Of the participants, 23.9% have inadequate, 19.7% limited, 28.3% adequate and 28.1% have excellent general health literacy. The average general health literacy average is 33.28 ± 12.63. Health literacy level is high in participants with education level, employment, number of pregnancies and lower pregnancy (p <0.05). Adequate health literacy level is higher in participants who say fever, respiratory distress, and cough are the symptoms of COVID-19 (p <0.05). Adequate health literacy (disease prevention and health promotion) level is higher in participants who avoid close contacts such as handshaking or hugging (p <0.05). Conclusion: More than half of pregnant women is adequate health literacy levels. Adequate health literacy is high in compliance COVID-19 rules. Improving health literacy can provide benefits in solving both COVID-19 disease and other health problems.

The purpose of this study was to examine connections between health literacy and social communication skills in older adults, a population that experiences chronic health conditions but is reported to have low health literacy and declines in communication skills. Sixty-three older adults were administered the Social Communication subtest of the Functional Assessment of Communication Skills in Adults and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Correlational statistics indicated significant relationships between social communication skills and health literacy in older adults. Aspects of social communication that involve initiating discourse, facial expressions, and voice tone were positively related to reading comprehension items that involve informing, naming, and requesting information. Results of the study suggest that social communication skills may possibly serve as predictors of health literacy. Further study of the potential relationships between these variables is needed to improve health literacy assessment and intervention for older adults.

With population aging, the number of older adults living alone is increasing. Health literacy has an important effect on the health and quality of life of community-dwelling older adults, but the relationship between living alone and health literacy is unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between living alone and health literacy in community-dwelling older adults. A secondary data analysis of health literacy in community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years was performed using the 2023 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Health literacy was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the factors associated with health literacy. Of 1573 older adults (mean age, 72.2 years; mean health literacy score, 27.6 points), 409 (26.0%) lived alone, of whom 73.1% were women. Health literacy was directly associated with higher educational level (college or higher: β = 0.210, P < .001), being employed (β = 0.080, P = .002), and better subjective health status (good: β = 0.067, P = .038), and inversely associated with living alone (β = -0.064, P = .018), older age (β = -0.062, P = .035), and living in a rural area (β = -0.112, P < .001). Living alone was associated with a lower level of health literacy. Social support to improve health literacy in older adults should prioritize those living alone, living in rural areas, with lower educational levels, unemployed persons, and those with poor self-perceived health status.

BACKGROUND: The research is based on the concept of health literacy. This is the “sixth vital sign” to navigating the healthcare system and raising self-efficacy in the field of healthcare. AIM: The study aim was to present the health literacy of the elderly in the Savinja statistical region in Slovenia. METHODS: The study was based on a non-experimental quantitative research approach. The study included 199 elderly people aged 65 and more, without the presence of dementia. The data were collected using the Health Literacy and Montreal Cognitive Assessment questionnaire. We used a non-random, convenience sampling. RESULTS: We established that in the study population, 64.8 % of the population was below the level of acceptable general health literacy, whereas only 3.5 % of this population had an excellent level of health literacy. Statistically significant differences in the level of health literacy are shown in the field of healthcare treatment in older adults living with their families (F = 5,198; p ˂ 0,001). Respondents who engaged in activities in day care centres also had a higher level of health literacy (t = 3,738; p &lt; 0,001). People with low health literacy, who use health services more frequently, should be given access to health education, based on individual presentation of contents, supported by andragogical knowledge. CONCLUSION: The health literacy of older adults is the basis for their greater care for their own health and a better quality of life.

Health literacy is a crucial factor in determining one's health outcomes. Individuals with high health literacy possess the ability to access, comprehend, evaluate, and utilize health information to maintain, enhance, and advocate for good health. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool called the Health Literacy Questionnaire for Older Adults (HLQ-OA) specifically designed to assess the health literacy of community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. The development of the HLQ-OA occurred in two phases. Firstly, a systematic literature review was conducted, followed by the evaluation of content validity and face validity through expert and older adult assessments. Subsequently, a cross-sectional study was carried out, involving a convenient sample of 481 older adults from community-dwelling long-term care stations. The final version of the HLQ-OA comprised 16 items that assessed four competencies associated with accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health-related information. The HLQ-OA demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.94. Additionally, the model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit: RMSEA = 0.046, GFI = 0.909, CFI = 0.945, TLI = 0.939. Furthermore, a high correlation was observed between the HLQ-OA and the HL-SF12 (r = 0.832). These findings support the reliability and validity of the HLQ-OA as a tool for assessing the health literacy of older adults. In conclusion, the HLQ-OA is a reliable and valid instrument that can be effectively utilized to measure the health literacy levels of older adults.

Purpose. This study aims to determine the relationship between successful aging and health literacy in older adults. Design and Methods. This cross‐sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted between April and September 2021. The sample of the study comprised 379 voluntary older adults aged 65 and above who visited a health center. A descriptive information form, the adult health literacy scale, and the successful aging scale were used for data collection. Results. The levels of health literacy were low, whereas the perceptions of successful aging were high. Besides, compared to female participants, the levels of health literacy and the perceptions of successful aging were higher in male participants. Age was negatively correlated with the level of health literacy. Furthermore, health literacy levels and successful aging perceptions of married participants were high. Finally, as the education levels increased, so did the health literacy level and successful aging perceptions. Practice Implications. Health policies to promote successful aging and health literacy in adults may be developed. Besides, intervention plans to improve the health literacy levels of different age groups may be prepared. Further studies that use culture‐specific scales may be conducted.

Background: Health literacy can influence physical activity, mortality, self-care behaviors and health outcome for some conditions and diseases especially among the aged population. Objectives: This study aimed to assess health literacy in older adults and its related factors to encourage and inform interventions and the future research outline concerning this group of population in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 older adults in southeast Iran, during year 2015. The twenty health centers were selected randomly and 10 subjects were selected using multistage random sampling from a population from each health center. The Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults Questionnaire was used for collecting the data. The data was analyzed using the Stata.12 software using Independent T test, Chi-square test and multiple linear regression. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 62.1 ± 3.9 years (ranging from 55 to 75 years old). The total mean score of health literacy was 64.4 ± 18.4 (range: 12 to 97). The mean score of health literacy amongst males and females was 61.5 ± 19.9 (range: 12 - 96) and 67.1 ± 16.6 (range: 22 - 97), respectively (P = 0.032). About 38.5% (n = 77), 29% (n = 58) and 32.5% (n = 65) of the subjects had inadequate, borderline and adequate HL level, respectively. Bivariate analysis and the results of linear regression analysis demonstrated that monthly income (β = 6.25, 95% CI: 5.03 - 17.27), educational level (β=6.61, 95% CI: 1.78-10.3) and husband's educational level (β = 5.11, 95% CI: 3.2 - 11.21) were significantly associated with health literacy scores level of older adults. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that generally health literacy level is low among older adults in southeast Iran and needs special attention. The level of education was the most important determinant of health literacy. It seems that the best way to increase health literacy among older adults is health literacy training programs that should be implemented with respect to educational level, gender and income of the individuals.

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between health literacy and disability in activities of daily living (ADL) in older adults with multimorbidity. Methods: Using data from the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS), 2,153 older adults with multimorbidity were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. The &lt;i&gt;x&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; test was performed to determine differences in ADL disability according to demographic and health-related characteristics. In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the risk of ADL disability according to the level of health literacy, and the results are presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: For the young-old group (65-74 years), compared with an adequate level of health literacy, the risk of ADL disability was 2.02 times (95% CI 1.20~3.42) higher in those with a marginal level, and 2.53 times (95% CI 1.54~4.16) higher in those with an inadequate level after adjusting for covariates. Conclusion: In older adults under 75 with multimorbidity, a lower level of health literacy was associated with a higher risk of ADL disability. This highlights that health literacy is an important factor closely associated with ADL disability in older adults with multimorbidity, extending beyond the basic ability to understand and apply information.

Medication adherence is a crucial factor in managing and treating chronic diseases in older adults. Health literacy (HL) skills and rational drug use (RDU) knowledge are important for individuals to make informed decisions about medication adherence behaviours. This study was conducted to determine the association between medication adherence and rational drug use knowledge and health literacy in older adults residing in nursing homes. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 121 older adults residing in a nursing home in Turkey. The data were collected using the Participant Information Form, the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5), the Rational Drug Use Scale (RDUS), and The Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS EUEU-Q-TR). The mean age of the older adults was 69.92 ± 6.45 years and 76.9% were male. The mean score of MARS-5 was 21.80 ± 3.55. Among older adults, 43.8% were found to have inadequate RDU knowledge, 28.9% had inadequate HL, and 46.3% had problematic-limited HL. The RDU knowledge was a statistically significant strong predictor of medication adherence (R2 = 0.495, p < 0.001). The HL was a statistically significant predictor of medication adherence (R2 = 0.037, p < 0.05). The study found that medication adherence among older adults residing in nursing homes was moderate, RDU knowledge and HL levels were low, and medication adherence increased as RDU knowledge and HL levels increased.

ObjectiveThe low level of digital health literacy skills, especially among older adults, increases their risk of limited access to health services. Health literacy plays an important role in maintaining health and improving the quality of life of people, especially older adults. According to these two factors, the importance of examining the health literacy of older adults and how they use technology to improve their health is becoming increasingly clear.MethodTo address this, the study employed a grounded theory approach, aiming to uncover the challenges encountered by older adults in utilizing health-related technologies. To achieve this goal, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 older adults, selected through theoretical, targeted, and maximum variety sampling methods.ResultAfter analyzing the data, seven main categories were identified: isolation and loneliness, resistance to change, limitation of digital literacy, health literacy gap, dependence, physical disability, and facilitating access to health-related technology.ConclusionThe core category,'Seniors on the margin of digital health literacy,'was selected to encompass the other seven categories.

This study aimed to assess functional health literacy levels among older adults living in subsidized housing in Hamilton, Ontario, and to assess the relationships between health literacy and other important health indicators, such as education level, age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and self-reported health status. Older adults (n = 237) living in subsidized housing buildings in Hamilton, ON, were assessed using the NVS-UK as a measure of functional health literacy in addition to a health indicator questionnaire through structured interview. Health literacy levels were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to determine relationships between health literacy levels and other health indicators. Participants' mean age was 73years, 67% were female, 70% were not educated beyond high school, and 91% were white. Over 82% of participants had below adequate health literacy levels using the NVS-UK. Multivariable logistic regression revealed significant relationships between functional health literacy and BMI, education level, and pain and discomfort levels. No significant relationships were found between health literacy level and age group, anxiety and depression levels, CANRISK (Diabetes risk) score, gender, marital status, mobility issues, self-care issues, self-reported health status, or performance of usual activities. As the population of older adults continues to grow, the appropriate resources must be available to both improve and support the health literacy level of the population. Future health research should gather information on the health literacy levels of target populations to ensure more equitable health service. This research provides a significant opportunity to better understand populations with health literacy barriers.

This study investigates how different forms of social capital influence the health literacy of community-dwelling older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 older adults aged 65 and above living in Hong Kong. Thematic analysis technique was employed to analyse the data. The findings showed that both structural and cognitive forms of social capital were available to most of the older adults. However, some struggled to access common forms of social capital, such as bonding and expressed distrust in their neighbours. Some respondents demonstrated sufficient health literacy (e.g. seeking a second medical opinion), while others had limited health literacy (e.g. difficulties seeking advice during medical consultations). The influence of social capital on older adults’ health literacy was evident in four areas: (1) social capital and access to health information; (2) managing infodemic and evaluating healthcare information; (3) social capital and quality of healthcare; and (4) adverse influence of social capital for health literacy and health-related outcomes. Health literacy can impel older adults towards healthy ageing, and its reinforcement can be strengthened by incorporating various forms of social capital. This is because the health literacy of older adults is fundamentally tied to social interactions.

Health Literacy: The Missing Link in the Provision of Health Care for Children and Their Families

To study the relationship between health literacy and memory and verbal fluency in older adults. Cross-sectional cohort. Twenty senior centers and apartment buildings in New York, New York. Independently living, English- and Spanish-speaking adults aged 60 and older (N=414). Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). The associations between S-TOFHLA scores and immediate and delayed recall (Wechsler Memory Scale II), verbal fluency (Animal Naming), and global cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE) were modeled using multivariable logistic and linear regression. Health literacy was inadequate in 24.3% of participants. Impairment of immediate recall occurred in 20.4%; delayed recall, 15.0%; verbal fluency, 9.9%; and MMSE, 17.4%. Abnormal cognitive function was strongly associated with inadequate health literacy: immediate recall (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=3.44, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.71-6.94, P<.001), delayed recall (AOR=3.48, 95% CI=1.58-7.67, P=.002), and verbal fluency (AOR=3.47, 95% CI=1.44-8.38, P=.006). These associations persisted in subgroups that excluded individuals with normal age-adjusted MMSE scores. Memory and verbal fluency are strongly associated with health literacy, independently of education and health status, even in those with subtle cognitive dysfunction. Reducing the cognitive burden of health information might mitigate the detrimental effects of limited health literacy in older adults. Research that examines the effect of materials modified to older adults' cognitive limitations on health literacy and health outcomes is needed.