Functional health literacy in older adults with hypertension in the Family Health Strategy

Abstract

Objective: To assess Functional Health Literacy and the associated sociodemographic, health, information sources and health media factors in older adults with hypertension assisted at the Family Health Strategy. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study with an exploratory-descriptive approach, carried out with a total of 264 older adults. A sociodemographic and health characterization instrument was used for the data collection, and another one that evaluated the Functional Health Literacy. For the analysis, a descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Results: Most of the participants in the study had inadequate literacy (59.5% - 157), and the variables education, income, hospital stay and internet as a source of information are related to the averages of Functional Health Literacy. Conclusion: Knowing the Functional Health Literacy of older adults with hypertension and its associated factors can provide subsidies for the planning of health education strategies that, in fact, meet their health needs.

Do Health Information Sources Influence Health Literacy among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Urban Areas of Western China

“…Healthcare providers were the primary and most trusted information source of health information among older adults in Europe [ 4 ] and Switzerland [ 63 ]. The significant association between healthcare providers and health literacy were confirmed in past research from the U.S. [ 36 ], Thailand [ 37 ] and Rio Grande-RS, Brazil in 2017 [ 56 ]. Moreover, neighbors as a reinforcing factor can enhance health literacy.…”

“…Using the internet for health information can contribute to health literacy among older adults in Vietnam and the U.S. [ 18 , 36 , 55 ]. Research reveals that those who have higher averages in health literacy would be more likely to seek for health information through health professionals and the internet in the U.S. [ 36 ] and in Rio Grande-RS, Brazil in 2017 [ 56 ]. Older adults and those who have less access to health information through the internet are less likely to be health literate [ 57 ].…”

“…For instance, a minority group is far less likely to be health literate among the elderly, and black participants or ethnic minorities typically have poorer health literacy compared to the white population of older adults in the U.S. [ 68 , 73 ]. Educational attainment positively affects health literacy among older adults [ 15 , 18 , 30 , 56 , 68 , 71 ] and is particularly linked to the elderly’s health literacy in China [ 33 ] and Turkey [ 74 ]. Additionally, occupation is shown to be linked to health literacy, so that older adults of a low occupational class are vulnerable population with limited health literacy in England [ 72 ], Vietnam [ 55 ] and South Korea [ 75 ].…”

“…Older participants who are famers show a faster decline in health literacy than those who are non-farmers in China [ 33 ]. Financial strain is a strong predictor of health literacy [ 15 , 18 , 69 , 76 ], specifically, older adults with lower income show a faster decline in health literacy in the U.S. [ 71 , 77 ] and Brazil [ 56 ].…”

Fatores associados ao letramento funcional em saúde da pessoa idosa em tratamento pré-dialítico

“…In Brazil, despite the progress in accessibility to basic education, the heterogeneity of the population and the low level of education contribute for the FHL to remain practically untapped 25 . Thus, it is necessary to plan actions that seek to address the social inequalities perpetuated in the health system regarding FHL, through educational strategies aimed at old people with CKD 26,27 , considering their characteristics and particularities, in order to minimize or exclude possible diseases 28 .…”