Double burden of COVID-19 knowledge deficit: low health literacy and high information avoidance

Abstract

Objective People with lower levels of health literacy are likely to report engaging in information avoidance. However, health information avoidance has been overlooked in previous research on responses to viral outbreaks. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to assess the relationship between health literacy and COVID-19 information avoidance. Students (n = 561) at a university in the south central region of the U.S. completed our online survey conducted from April to June 2020 using simple random sampling. We measured information avoidance and the degree to which people opt not to learn about COVID-19 when given the choice. We assessed participants’ health literacy level using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and All Aspect of Health Literacy Scale (AAHLS). Results Those with lower health literacy were more likely to avoid information about COVID-19. This negative association between health literacy and information avoidance was consistent across all types of health literacy measures: NVS scores (b = − 0.47, p = 0.033), eHEALS scores (b = − 0.12, p = 0.003), functional health literacy (b = − 0.66, p = 0.001), communicative health literacy (b = − 0.94, p < 0.001), information appraisal (b = − 0.36, p = 0.004), and empowerment (b = − 0.62, p = 0.027). The double burden of low health literacy and high information avoidance is likely to lead to a lack of knowledge about COVID-19.

Current Status and Associated Factors of Health Information Literacy Among the Community Elderly in Central China in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Current Status and Associated Factors of Health Information Literacy Among the Community Elderly in Central China in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Looking for information and avoiding it: Covid-19 and Black Americans

“…We found the first two factors negatively influence information avoidance; in other words, as one's vaccine knowledge and eHealth literacy increase, they are less likely to avoid information. Chen et al (2022) called this outcome "the double burden of low health literacy and high information avoidance" which "likely [. .…”

Trust in and Use of COVID-19 Information Sources Differs by Health Literacy among College Students

“…Additionally, official rules and recommendations for preventive measures (e.g., mask mandates) based on scientific findings and clinical trials keep changing, because of the evolving knowledge about how this virus is behaving [ 30 ], which leads to negative feelings, such as being overwhelmed, confused, upset, and scared [ 8 ]. In fact, people with lower health literacy are more likely to avoid health information related to COVID-19, in order to reduce the above unwanted emotions [ 9 ].…”

“…This finding indicates that people with a higher health literacy might compare information among different sources, in order to check for trustworthiness, while those with a lower health literacy do not [ 24 ]. Furthermore, in one of our recent studies, we found that college students with lower health literacy were more likely to intentionally avoid information about COVID-19 [ 9 ]. Our findings confirm that college students with low health literacy are at risk of COVID-19 knowledge deficits, due to their high information avoidance.…”

Current Status and Associated Factors of Health Information Literacy Among the Community Elderly in Central China in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“……”

Looking for information and avoiding it: Covid-19 and Black Americans

“…We found the first two factors negatively influence information avoidance; in other words, as one's vaccine knowledge and eHealth literacy increase, they are less likely to avoid information. Chen et al (2022) called this outcome "the double burden of low health literacy and high information avoidance" which "likely [. .…”

Trust in and Use of COVID-19 Information Sources Differs by Health Literacy among College Students

“…Additionally, official rules and recommendations for preventive measures (e.g., mask mandates) based on scientific findings and clinical trials keep changing, because of the evolving knowledge about how this virus is behaving [ 30 ], which leads to negative feelings, such as being overwhelmed, confused, upset, and scared [ 8 ]. In fact, people with lower health literacy are more likely to avoid health information related to COVID-19, in order to reduce the above unwanted emotions [ 9 ].…”

“…This finding indicates that people with a higher health literacy might compare information among different sources, in order to check for trustworthiness, while those with a lower health literacy do not [ 24 ]. Furthermore, in one of our recent studies, we found that college students with lower health literacy were more likely to intentionally avoid information about COVID-19 [ 9 ]. Our findings confirm that college students with low health literacy are at risk of COVID-19 knowledge deficits, due to their high information avoidance.…”

Current Status and Associated Factors of Health Information Literacy Among the Community Elderly in Central China in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“……”

Looking for information and avoiding it: Covid-19 and Black Americans

“…We found the first two factors negatively influence information avoidance; in other words, as one's vaccine knowledge and eHealth literacy increase, they are less likely to avoid information. Chen et al (2022) called this outcome "the double burden of low health literacy and high information avoidance" which "likely [. .…”

Trust in and Use of COVID-19 Information Sources Differs by Health Literacy among College Students

“…Additionally, official rules and recommendations for preventive measures (e.g., mask mandates) based on scientific findings and clinical trials keep changing, because of the evolving knowledge about how this virus is behaving [ 30 ], which leads to negative feelings, such as being overwhelmed, confused, upset, and scared [ 8 ]. In fact, people with lower health literacy are more likely to avoid health information related to COVID-19, in order to reduce the above unwanted emotions [ 9 ].…”

“…This finding indicates that people with a higher health literacy might compare information among different sources, in order to check for trustworthiness, while those with a lower health literacy do not [ 24 ]. Furthermore, in one of our recent studies, we found that college students with lower health literacy were more likely to intentionally avoid information about COVID-19 [ 9 ]. Our findings confirm that college students with low health literacy are at risk of COVID-19 knowledge deficits, due to their high information avoidance.…”