The Mechanisms Linking Health Literacy to Behavior and Health Status
- 1 January 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JCFCorp SG PTE LTD in American Journal of Health Behavior
- Vol. 35 (1), 118-128
- https://doi.org/10.5993/ajhb.35.1.11
Abstract
Objective : To examine the mechanisms linking health literacy to physical activity and selfreported health. Methods : From 2005-2007, patients (N = 330) with hypertension were recruited from safety net clinics. Pathanalytic models tested the pathways linking health literacy to physical activity and self-reported health. Results : There were significant paths from health literacy to knowledge (r = 0.22, P < 0.001), knowledge to self-efficacy (r = 0.13, P < 0.01), self-efficacy to physical activity (r = 0.17, P < 0.01), and physical activity to health status (r = 0.17, P < 0.01). Conclusions : Health education interventions should be literacy sensitive and aim to enhance patient health knowledge and self-efficacy to promote self-care behavior and desirable health outcomes.Keywords
This publication has 55 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Demographic Assessment for Health Literacy (DAHL): A New Tool for Estimating Associations between Health Literacy and Outcomes in National SurveysJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2008
- A comparison of direct versus self-report measures for assessing physical activity in adults: a systematic reviewInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2008
- Limited Health Literacy is a Barrier to Medication Reconciliation in Ambulatory CareJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2007
- Self-Efficacy and Health Status in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: Findings From the Heart and Soul StudyPsychosomatic Medicine, 2007
- Literacy, self-efficacy, and HIV medication adherencePatient Education and Counseling, 2007
- Factors associated with medication refill adherence in cardiovascular-related diseasesJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2006
- Mortality prediction with a single general self-rated health questionJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2006
- Literacy and health outcomesJournal of General Internal Medicine, 2004
- Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood PressureHypertension, 2003
- The relationship of patient reading ability to self-reported health and use of health services.American Journal of Public Health, 1997