Health Literacy Factors Related to Health Behavior Among Elderly in Sakon Nakhon Province

Abstract

The cross-sectional descriptive study in research were to determine (1) the level of health literacy and health behavior and (2) to study the health literacy factors related to health behavior of elderly in Sakon Nakhon Province. The sample size was elderly (60-69 years old) 108 study subject live in Makhampom community That Choeng Chum sub-district, Mueang district, Sakon Nakhon Province. Data were collected by using a questionnaire. The study period was from June to September 2022. Data were analyzed and descriptively presented in frequency, percentage, mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation and inferential data analysis were Chi-Square test.     

The results of the study indicated that the majority of sample had overall moderate level of health literacy with a mean of 109.56 (S.D.=16.31). For the dimensions of health literacy, it was found that cognitive skills with a mean of 5.18 (S.D.=1.19), health information accessibility skills with with a mean of 20.56 (S.D.=4.41), communication skills with a mean of 21.47 (S.D.=3.67), self-management skills with a mean of 21.47 (S.D.=3.58), media literacy skills with a mean of 17.57 (S.D.=3.90) and the decision making skills with a mean of 22.38 (S.D.=3.91). Most of the elderly had a good level of health behavior (47.22%) with average score 109.56±16.31. The health literacy factors related to health behavior of elderly were cognitive skills, health information accessibility skills and media literacy skills with a statistical significance level of 0.05.

            Therefore, stakeholders should promote health literacy and change health behavior by creating media, health information accessibility skills and self-management skills. Opportunities to learn practices from model, activities to improve skill in analysis and decision making in selecting and a practice behavior.