Health Literacy and Its Sociodemographic Predictors: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Population in Madrid (Spain)

David García-García () and Francisco Javier Pérez-Rivas
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David García-García: Nursing Primary Health Care Service of Madrid, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Francisco Javier Pérez-Rivas: Grupo de Investigación UCM “Salud Pública-Estilos de Vida, Metodología Enfermera y Cuidados en el Entorno Comunitario”, Departamento de Enfermería, Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Background: Health literacy enhances a population’s self-care capacity and helps to reduce health inequalities. This work examines the health literacy of a population attending primary care services and explores its relationship with sociodemographic factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted at a healthcare center in the Madrid region (Spain), involved adult patients requiring primary care nursing services. One hundred and sixty-six participants were recruited via systematic random sampling. Health literacy was measured using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Results: The studied population showed higher health literacy scores for literacy dimensions 1 (feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers) and 4 (social support for health); the lowest scores were recorded for dimensions 5 (appraisal of health information) and 8 (ability to find good health information). People with a better perceived health status showed a higher level of health literacy. People over 65 years of age, those with an incomplete secondary education, and those who were unemployed returned lower scores for several literacy dimensions. Conclusions: The results contribute to our understanding of the factors that influence health literacy. Identifying the areas in which patients show the poorest health literacy may help us comprehend their needs and better support them.

Keywords: health literacy; primary health care; public health; global health; nursing (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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