Health Literacy, Socioeconomic Status and Vaccination Uptake: A Study on Influenza Vaccination in a Population-Based Sample

Patrizio Zanobini, Chiara Lorini, Saverio Caini, Vieri Lastrucci, Maria Masocco, Valentina Minardi, Valentina Possenti, Giovanna Mereu, Rossella Cecconi and Guglielmo Bonaccorsi
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Patrizio Zanobini: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
Chiara Lorini: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
Saverio Caini: Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute For Cancer Research, Prevention and Clincal Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy
Vieri Lastrucci: Epidemiology Unit, Meyer Children’s University Hospital, 50139 Florence, Italy
Maria Masocco: Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Valentina Minardi: Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Valentina Possenti: Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Giovanna Mereu: Department of Prevention, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Toscana Centro, 50122 Florence, Italy
Rossella Cecconi: Department of Prevention, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Toscana Centro, 50122 Florence, Italy
Guglielmo Bonaccorsi: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Health Literacy (HL) has been recently hypothesized to affect the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health conditions. However, to date no study has yet assessed the potential contribution of HL in the pathway through which SES affects influenza vaccination status. We aim to examine the relationships among HL, SES factors, and influenza vaccination uptake in Tuscan (Italy) residents belonging to different high-risk groups (HRGs) for influenza. Methods: The study was performed within the Tuscan population sample selected in the Italian Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2017–2018. HL was assessed using the Italian version of the 6-items European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q6). Mediation analyses were conducted using SES variables as independent variables, influenza vaccination status as dependent variable and HL as mediator variable. Results: A total of 3278 people belonged to HRGs for influenza. In the whole sample, 19.4% of the participants were vaccinated against influenza. Participants who were not employed or had a poor financial status were more likely to be vaccinated against influenza (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.26–1.94, p < 0.001, and OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.00–1.48, p = 0.047 respectively). HL did not mediate the relationship of any of the independent variables with influenza vaccination status. Conclusions: Some SES determinants resulted to influence influenza vaccination uptake, while HL did not affect the likelihood of influenza vaccination uptake among HRGs. Universal health care systems, as in the case of Italy, offering influenza vaccination free of charge to HRGs help in reducing inequalities and mitigating HL demands.

Keywords: health literacy; influenza vaccination; socio-economic determinants; high-risk groups; HLS-EU-Q6 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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