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Kim and Lee: The Influence of Functional Literacy on Perceived Health Status in Korean Older Adults
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2008; 38(2): 195-203.

Published online: 30 April 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.2.195

The Influence of Functional Literacy on Perceived Health Status in Korean Older Adults

Su Hyun Kim1, Eunjoo Lee2

1Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.

2Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Su Hyun. College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, 101 Dongin-dong 2ga, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-422, Korea. Tel: 82-53-420-4928, Fax: 82-53-421-2758, suhyun_kim@knu.ac.kr

Received 6 December 2007       Accepted 1 February 2008

Copyright © 2008 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to understand the level of functional health literacy and its influence on perceived health status in Korean older adults.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Daegu, Kyungpook and Busan province. A total of 103 older adults aged 65 yr or older were interviewed in person between July 1 to August 30, 2007.

Results

A high proportion of older adults were unable to read and understand written basic medical instructions. Only 40-50% were able to comprehend directions for taking medication four times a day or on an empty stomach. Only 11-38% were able to understand information regarding treatment procedure, informed consent, or educational material for elderly fall prevention. Individuals who were older, single, and had less education and income were more likely to have lower functional health literacy. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, individuals with lower health literacy had poorly perceived health status.

Conclusion

Many Korean older adults have a very low level of fuctional literacy. Low health literacy was independently associated with poorly perceived health status.

Keywords: Aged, Health, Literacy, Health status

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General Characteristics of the Subjects and Functional Health Literacy Levels according to Selected Respondent Characteristics (N=103)
jkan-38-195-i001

*Scheffe test.

Table 2
Health Literacy Levels, Proportion of Patients Correctly Answering Numeracy Items and Reading Comprehension Passages (N=103)
jkan-38-195-i002
Table 3
Zero-Order Correlation Coefficients among the Study Variables*
jkan-38-195-i003

*All variables entered in the analysis were continuous variables.

Table 4
The Influence of Health Literacy on Perceived Health Status in Older Adults (N=103)
jkan-38-195-i004

*Dummy coded.

Notes

This research was supported by Kyungpook National University Research Fund, 2006.

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