Correlation between Health Literacy and Health Behaviors in Older People: A Survey Research in a Community, Trang Province
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Abstract
As elderly care constitute an increasing part of the Thai society and healthcare budget, this cross-sectional survey research aimed to study the level of health literacy among elderly people, and analyze the relationship among health literacy and health behaviors regarding diet, exercise, emotional health, no smoking, and no alcohol drinking. Sample consisted of 147 older people aged 60-69 years without dementia, who were able to communicate, and self-care in Nongtrud subdistrict, Trang province. Data collection was conducted in July, 2018, by interviewing the elderly at home, using an assessment form developed by Health Education Division, Ministry of Public Health regarding health literacy and health behavior, used for people aged 15 years and over (revised in 2018). Reliability of research tool was tested using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a value of .721. Data were analyzed by percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's product moment correlation.
Results showed that most of older people (51.70%) had a low level of health literacy regarding diet, exercise, emotional health, no smoking, and no alcohol drinking. However, most of them (53.06%) had a very good level of health behaviors. Health literacy was positively correlated with health behavior at a moderate level (r = .508, p < .05). Results from this study can be used as a guideline for enhancing health literacy, which is correlated with health status in older people.
Article Details
Journal of Nursing and Health Science Research attribution-non-commercial 4.0 international (CC BY-NC 4.0). For more detail please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ . The ideas and opinions expressed in the Journal of Nursing and Health Science Research are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor .
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