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Health literacy of Dutch adults: a cross sectional survey.

ABSTRACT: 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.

SUBMITTER: van der Heide I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3599856 | biostudies-other | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Health literacy of Dutch adults: a cross sectional survey.

van der Heide Iris I Rademakers Jany J Schipper Maarten M Droomers Mariël M Sørensen Kristine K Uiters Ellen E

BMC public health 20130227

<h4>Background</h4>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 perc ...[more]

PMID: 23445541

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Project description:BackgroundHealth literacy proficiency is essential for health care professionals to provide quality patient care. There is limited research exploring health literacy proficiency among undergraduate health science students.ObjectivesTo determine health literacy among health science students in Singapore using the electronic Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ).DesignA cross-sectional survey using purposive sampling was conducted among undergraduate health science students.MethodologyThis study hypothesises that health literacy is influenced by gender, and it increases with the level of health science education, attributed to the increased exposure to the health care system and health care education as undergraduates progress through the years of study. Eligible students from the 4-year entry-level programmes of diagnostic radiography, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiation therapy and speech and language therapy, aged from 21 to 50, were invited. Exclusion criteria were students who were no longer studying due to dropping out or having immediately graduated from these programmes and students in the accelerated programmes whose studies would be completed in less than 4 years.ResultsIn total, 111 respondents (72 females and 37 males) completed surveys (response rate, 7.7%) returned from physiotherapy (n = 69), occupational therapy (n = 25), diagnostic radiography (n = 12) and dietetics (n = 5), with nil from radiation therapy and speech and language therapy. All participants were English literate. Female participants demonstrated higher HLQ with a mean total score of 30.67 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.61) versus male participants 29.83 (SD = 0.53). Year 2, 3 and 4 students generally scored higher than Year 1 across all nine HLQ scales. Overall, dietetics students had the highest total score on the HLQ, while the diagnostic radiography students had the lowest scores for all the nine HLQ scales.ConclusionThis study established the health literacy level of health science students in Singapore. Gender and years of study influenced health literacy levels, supporting the hypothesis.

Project description:ObjectivesTo investigate health literacy profiles using a multidimensional tool in the elderly, analyze the factors related to health literacy, and explore the relationships between health literacy and health-related behaviors.MethodsA cross-sectional survey including 440 participants was conducted at a community health center and a village health center in Changsha, Hunan Province, between June 2020 and August 2020. We used the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) to assess the elderly's health literacy. Sociodemographic data and health-related behaviors of them were surveyed with a self-designed questionnaire. Latent profile analysis, Pearson's chi-squared and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data.ResultsThe median age of the 440 respondents was 68 years. The participants had the lowest scores in the "appraisal of health information" subscale (2.22 ± 0.52), followed by "navigating the healthcare system" subscale (2.89 ± 0.81) of HLQ. Based on the analysis of three profiles, respondents who were 60-74 years (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.23-3.42, P = 0.006), living in urban areas (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 2.17-4.94, P < 0.001), with secondary education or above (OR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.92-4.27, P < 0.001), and having health insurance (OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.02-3.51, P = 0.042) were significantly associated with health literacy. Statistically significant associations were found between health literacy level and health-related behaviors, including medical service-seeking behavior (χ 2 = 25.14, P < 0.001), exercising regularly (χ 2 = 34.08, P < 0.001), and taking a medical examination in the past 12 months (χ 2 = 24.76, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe multidimensional health literacy survey has identified the low health literacy level among the elderly in community settings. It revealed the relationships of sociodemographic characteristics, including age, education level and residence, with health literacy. These findings emphasized the importance of health literacy in promoting health behaviors, guiding a profound understanding of the Chinese elderly's health needs and health literacy to develop community-based health promotion interventions.

Project description:OBJECTIVES:To investigate the relationship between functional health literacy and glycaemic control in a sample of older patients with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. SETTING:A government-financed outpatient geriatric clinic in São Paulo, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS:129 older patients with type 2 diabetes, a mean (SD) age of 75.9 (6.2) years, a mean glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7.2% (1.4), of which 14.7% had no formal education and 82.9% had less than a high-school diploma. MEASURES:HbA1c was used as a measure of glycaemic control. Functional health literacy was assessed with the 18-item Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults (SAHLPA-18), a validated instrument to evaluate pronunciation and comprehension of commonly used medical terms. Regression models were controlled for demographic data, depressive symptoms, diabetes duration, treatment regimen, diabetes knowledge and assistance for taking medications. RESULTS:Functional health literacy below adequate was encountered in 56.6% of the sample. After controlling for potential confounding factors, patients with inadequate functional health literacy were more likely than patients with adequate functional health literacy to present poor glycaemic control (OR=4.76; 95% CI 1.36 to 16.63). In a fully adjusted linear regression model, lower functional health literacy (?=-0.42; p<0.001), longer diabetes duration (?=0.24; p=0.012) and lack of assistance for taking medications (?=0.23; p=0.014) were associated with higher levels of HbA1c. Contrary to our expectations, illiterate patients did not have poorer outcomes when compared with patients with adequate functional health literacy, raising the hypothesis that illiterate individuals are more likely to have their difficulties recognised and compensated. However, the small subsample of illiterate patients provided limited power to reject differences with small magnitude. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with inadequate functional health literacy presented with higher odds of poor glycaemic control. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing limited functional health literacy in clinical practice.

Project description:IntroductionData collected through ongoing, state-based, cross-sectional health surveys could be used to better understand the contribution of respiratory symptoms to impaired health among the US adult population.MethodsWe used the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone health survey in four states (Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, Texas) to describe the relationship between symptoms, associated factors such as tobacco smoking, and health impairments. Self-reported productive cough, shortness of breath (SOB), and dyspnea on exertion (DOE) were categorized as minimal, moderate, or severe. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models with age as a covariate to assess relationships of symptoms with other factors.ResultsAmong adults ≥ 18 years, respiratory impairment [current asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or a current moderate or severe symptom] occurred in 39.1% of the population. More than half of adults reporting moderate or severe symptoms had not been diagnosed with asthma or COPD, particularly with DOE and productive cough. Subjects were at greater risk of moderate and severe SOB or productive cough with increasing age, prolonged smoking duration (≥ 20 years), being an ever-smoker, or if reporting COPD, current asthma, or any other comorbidity except cancer. Morbid obesity [body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m2] was associated with severe DOE at a rate similar to current asthma or COPD (25.6%, 95% CI 20.9-30.3%; 20.8%, 95% CI 16.4-25.1%; 21.3%, 95% CI 17.5-25.1%, respectively); it was the most common cause of DOE. SOB was associated with worse general health impairment and limited ambulation compared with other symptoms. Tobacco smoking prevalence and race varied among states, affecting symptom prevalence.ConclusionIn the largest US survey in decades, we provide a current perspective of respiratory symptoms among adults of all ages. While known risk factors were apparent, low-risk persons also frequently reported symptoms and impairments.

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Health literacy of Dutch adults: a cross sectional survey.

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Health literacy of Dutch adults: a cross sectional survey.

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