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The Levels of Health Literacy and Related Factors among Middle-aged Adults in Seoul, Korea  

Kang, Soo-Jin (Division of Nursing and Public Health, Daegu University)
Lee, Tae-Wha (College of Nursing, Yonsei University)
Kim, Gwang-Suk (College of Nursing, Yonsei University)
Lee, Ju-Hee (College of Nursing, Yonsei University)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion / v.29, no.3, 2012 , pp. 75-89 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objectives: This study was performed to identify the level of health literacy and to investigate the relationship between the health literacy and preventive health care use in middle-aged adults in Korea. Methods: A total of 315 adults aged 40 to 64 years living in Seoul participated in the study. Data were collected from December 15-24, 2010 from outpatient hospitals, clinics, workplaces and other locations in the community. Health literacy was measured using the Functional Health Literacy and Self-rated Health Literacy Questionnaires. Preventive health service use was defined as receiving screening (general health checkups, gastric and colorectal cancer, mammogram, and pap smear) and influenza vaccination. Descriptive analysis, t-test, and ANOVA were used. Results: The mean of functional health literacy was 3.87 (score range 0-6) and the self-rated health literacy was 60.08 (score range 16-80). The most difficult items of the self-rated questionnaires were patient educational materials provided by health care providers and medical forms. The most difficult items of functional health literacy were information-based, including nutritional facts and clinical schedules. Association between health literacy and preventive health service use was not found. Conclusions: Further study is necessary with larger samples and with considerations for their education level, age, and preventive health care use.
Keywords
Health literacy; Preventive health service use;
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