Dataset Information

Functional health literacy in a population-based sample in Florence: a cross-sectional study using the Newest Vital Sign.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess the level of functional health literacy (HL) and its antecedents and consequences in an adult population-based sample, using the Italian version of Newest Vital Sign (NVS-IT).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

General population.

Participants

984 people were randomly selected from the resident registers of 11 general practitioners; a total of 452 (46.2%) of the selected people completed the study. Inclusion criteria were the following: 18-69 years of age and Italian speaking. Exclusion criteria included cognitive impairment, severe psychiatric diseases and end-stage diseases.

Outcome measures

HL levels as assessed by the NVS-IT and the following potential HL predictors and consequences were assessed using logistic regression models: sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, presence of long-term illnesses, self-reported health status, health services use in the last 12 months.

Results

High likelihood of limited HL, possibility of limited HL and adequate HL were found in 11.5%, 24.6% and 63.9% of the sample, respectively. The results of the multivariate logistic model for the antecedents showed that the risk of having high likelihood or possibility of limited HL levels increases with age (OR 1.07, 95%?CI 1.05 to 1.09), lower educational level (OR 4.03; 95%?CI 3.41 to 7.49) and with worse financial situation (OR 1.64; 95%?CI 1.17 to 2.63). As far as health outcomes are concerned, HL resulted to be positively associated with self-reported health status (OR 2.25, 95%?CI 1.75 to 2.75).

Conclusions

Findings show a good level of functional HL in the population. However, older, less educated and poorer population groups showed to have a higher likelihood of suffering from limited or inadequate HL. Efforts should be made to design and implement public health policies and interventions tailored to different HL levels.

Trial registration number

CEAVC:10113.

SUBMITTER: Bonaccorsi G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6589023 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Functional health literacy in a population-based sample in Florence: a cross-sectional study using the Newest Vital Sign.

Bonaccorsi Guglielmo G Lastrucci Vieri V Vettori Virginia V Lorini Chiara C

BMJ open 20190619 6

<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess the level of functional health literacy (HL) and its antecedents and consequences in an adult population-based sample, using the Italian version of Newest Vital Sign (NVS-IT).<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>General population.<h4>Participants</h4>984 people were randomly selected from the resident registers of 11 general practitioners; a total of 452 (46.2%) of the selected people completed the study. Inclusion criteria were the following: 18-69 ...[more]

PMID: 31221877

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Relatively little knowledge is available to date about health literacy among the general population in Europe. It is important to gain insights into health literacy competences among the general population, as this might contribute to more effective health promotion and help clarify socio-economic disparities in health. This paper is part of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU). It aims to add to the body of theoretical knowledge about health literacy by measuring perceived difficulties with health information in various domains of health, looking at a number of competences. The definition and measure of health literacy is still topic of debate and hardly any instruments are available that are applicable for the general population. The objectives were to obtain an initial measure of health literacy in a sample of the general population in the Netherlands and to relate this measure to education, income, perceived social status, age, and sex. METHODS: The HLS-EU questionnaire was administered face-to-face in a sample of 925 Dutch adults, during July 2011. Perceived difficulties with the health literacy competences for accessing, understanding, appraising and applying information were measured within the domains of healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to explore the associations between health literacy competences and education, income, perceived social status, age, and sex. RESULTS: Perceived difficulties with health information and their association with demographic and socio-economic variables vary according to the competence and health domain addressed. Having a low level of education or a low perceived social status or being male were consistently found to be significantly related to relatively low health literacy scores, mainly for accessing and understanding health information. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived difficulties with health information vary between competences and domains of health. Health literacy competences are associated with indicators of socio-economic position and with the domain in which health information is provided.

Dataset Information

Functional health literacy in a population-based sample in Florence: a cross-sectional study using the Newest Vital Sign.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration number

Publications

Functional health literacy in a population-based sample in Florence: a cross-sectional study using the Newest Vital Sign.

Similar Datasets

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