Health literacy in phases of health information processing in the Czech population

Autor: Polcrova, A., Lustigova, M., Pavlovska, I., Maranhao Neto, G. A., Pikhart, H., Kucera, Z., Gonzalez-Rivas, J. P.
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: European Journal of Public Health
Web of Science
ISSN: 1101-1262
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab165.636
Popis: Background Low level of health literacy (HL), defined as an individual's ability to process health information, is strongly associated with higher mortality and morbidity. In earlier analysis of cross-sectional survey in Czechia in 2014, 59% of subjects showed a low level of HL, with particularly worrying results in area of health promotion (64% with low levels of HL). The levels of HL in phases of health information processing, however, were not included. Aim To describe the level of HL in phases of obtaining, understanding, evaluating, and applying health information, and to assess social determinants of HL in these phases. Methods 18 to 65 years old subjects from a random population-based Czech sample from 2014 were evaluated using a cross-sectional design. The level of HL was determined by Health Literacy Index (HLI, range 0-50). A low level of HL was defined as HLI Results In total, 996 participants (51% females) were included. The prevalence of low level of HL was 64% in obtaining, 56% in understanding, 70% in evaluating and 64% in applying. A low level of HL was associated with a low perceived social status in all phases of information processing even after adjustment for age, gender, education, self-reported health condition, physical activity, BMI and smoking status (ORs 3.2, 2.0, 3.4 and 2.8, respectively, for obtaining, understanding, evaluating and applying, all p-values Conclusions People with lower social status have a higher risk of a low level of HL in all phases, with the highest risk in the phase of health information evaluation which was determined as the most problematic. Further intervention should aim to support individual skills in decision making and actions in fields of healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion including the availability of relevant understandable information for all social groups in the population. Key messages The most problematic area of health literacy is health information evaluation. People with lower social status have a higher risk of a low level of health literacy.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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