Association of health literacy, COVID-19 threat, and vaccination intention among Brazilian adolescents

Abstract

Objective: investigate the influence of health literacy on the assessment of COVID-19 threat to health and the intention not to be vaccinated among Brazilian adolescents. Method: cross-sectional study with 526 Brazilian adolescents aged 14 to 19 years. Socioeconomic aspects, health-disease profile, health literacy, health threat by COVID-19 and intention not to be vaccinated were analyzed by bivariate association and multiple linear regression with Poisson response. Results: higher health literacy score (p=0.010), cardiovascular disease (p=0.006), lower income (p=0.000), and living in the North region (p=0.007) were factors that contributed to feeling more threatened by COVID-19. Health literacy did not influence the intention not to be vaccinated (p=0.091), whose prevalence was lower among adolescents in the Southeast region when compared to those in the North region (p=0.010), among those who attended higher education (p=0,049) and those with higher income (p=0.000). Conclusion: health literacy influenced the perception of COVID-19 threat, but not the intention not to be vaccinated. Assessment of COVID-19 threat to health and prevalence of the intention not to be vaccinated were influenced by the region of residence, income, and education, which reinforces the importance of social determinants of health in this context.

Factors related to health literacy among Brazilian adolescents: cross-sectional study

“…Data communication follows the recommendations of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) ( 15 ) statement. This research derives from a multivariate study called “Health literacy, threat from COVID-19 and vaccination intention of Brazilian adolescents” ( 13 ) .…”

“…In Brazil, investigations into HL in adolescence are still scarce. However, there are studies with adolescents in the country that deal with relevant topics such as the association of HL and contraceptive methods ( 11 ) ; functional health literacy, quality of life and contexts of violence ( 12 ) and HL, assessment of the threat of COVID-19 and vaccination intention ( 13 ) .…”

Fatores relacionados ao letramento em saúde de adolescentes brasileiros: estudo transversal

“…A comunicação dos dados segue as recomendações da declaração Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) (15) . Esta pesquisa deriva de um estudo com multivariáveis denominado "Letramento em saúde, ameaça pela COVID-19 e intenção vacinal de adolescentes brasileiros" (13) .…”

“…No Brasil, as investigações sobre LS na adolescência ainda são escassas. Entretanto, existem estudos com adolescentes no país que versam sobre temas relevantes como a associação de LS e métodos contraceptivos (11) ; o letramento funcional em saúde, qualidade de vida e contextos de violência (12) e o LS, a avaliação da ameaça da COVID-19 e intenção vacinal (13) .…”